Over the years we’ve tried many ways to reach Combined Federal Campaign donors, by far the biggest challenge of raising money through the federal charity drive. Besides our own CFC charity guides, two ways have stood out.
One is a great way to reach federal employees: Recreation News, a monthly that focuses on things to do in the mid-Atlantic region.
The second is a great way to reach military personnel and their families: our Military Insert, a page of full-color ads that is handed out at commissaries on nearly 250 military bases across the world.
They have three things in common:
- They reach donors who don’t see ads for hundreds of other CFC charities.
The Times publications (Army Times, Federal Times, etc.) included nearly 250 display ads for CFC charities last fall. Recreation News had fewer than 10 display ads for charities. Our Military Insert included just six charities.
- They are distributed inside the workplace.
Recreation News is the official publication of Government Employee Associations and MWRs; which is why it can be delivered inside nearly 200 federal and military offices. Our Military Insert is distributed by MaxiSaver, a company that can distribute a small book of coupons at commissaries on military bases across the world. It mostly hires family members of military people stationed at each base.
- They are great values.
We know most CFC charities don’t have big CFC promotion budgets, which is why we've always focused on economical, effective ways to reach CFC donors. Most if not all the people these two options reach can give through the CFC, which makes them very efficient. In contrast, only about one in four Post Express newspapers go to potential CFC donors.
In addition, both publishers have given us big discounts to organize these charity ads. Our Special CFC Section in Recreation News starts at just $850 for a full-color display ad or “Why should I support your work?” space. Our Military Insert starts at just $1250 for a full-color display ad that reaches nearly 565,000 members of the military and their families at nearly 250 bases across the world. The CPMs for both options (cost per thousand impressions) are excellent.
Recreation News goes each month to more than 75,000 military and federal employees, mostly in the Greater DC area. It is distributed at nearly 200 offices and military base facilities, an impressive list that reflects the broad range of federal and military agencies. Copies get snapped up because of its content – guides to things like mid-Atlantic wineries, nearby beaches, local skiing areas, etc. It is packed with ads for vacation destinations, but not ads for CFC charities.
Both our Special Section in Recreation News and our Military Insert are distributed throughout October, peak time for CFC campaigns.
Plus, when you sign up for either option, you get a page in our new website for a full year for free. When you sign up for our special CFC section in Recreation News, your charity is also highlighted at least one time in its Weekend Update, which goes to nearly 40,000 military and federal employees, using internal govenrment servers (which means this email actually gets to people at their workstations).
Here is a sign-up form. You’ll find these two options on page 4. You’ll also see our various charity guide and website options.