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Boys and Girls Club of Evansville Achieves $5 Million Capital Campaign Goal with Help from eTapestry

The Boys & Girls Club of Evansville began operations in December 1957. Originally opened as an all-boys youth serving agency, today the Club provides programming and services for the most at-risk boys and girls of its community.

As an affiliate of the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Evansville Club maintains high standards to remain in good standing with the national organization. In doing so, the national organization provides a variety of services and programs to help in creating a positive environment for young people.

The Boys & Girls Club currently has four sites: the Main Unit on Illinois Street and the Fulton Square Unit on Dresden (a partnership with the Evansville Housing Authority), and the Howard Roosa and Cedar Hall School Extensions (partnerships with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation). There are more than 2,000 kids served at these four sites. In addition to the youth directly served at the sites, the Boys & Girls Club of Evansville is reaching another 4,000 young people through the SMART Moves Program, sponsored by Vectren, in the schools.

The Challenge

The Boys & Girls Club of Evansville was using a customized version of Microsoft Access as a very specific data management tool for their annual fund campaign. This was effective for a one-time specific use only, but workers found it out-dated and inflexible.

Although the organization had experience with Microsoft Access®, reporting on the annual fund campaign from the Access database was almost impossible. The functionality was
one-dimensional, unsolicited donations couldn't be tracked, and the organization had zero reporting capabilities.

The Solution

The Boys & Girls Club of Evansville was one of 15 clubs that participated in a oneyear pilot program managed by the Boys and Girls Clubs national office. As part of the program, Evansville converted all of its constituent data into eTapestry's web-based donor management solution.

The chapter was the first to complete the pilot program, and professionals at the Evansville Club were so impressed with the success in the first year that they became the first chapter in the pilot program to sign up on their own to continue as an eTapestry customer.

The Results

The Boys & Girls Club of Evansville is now able to effectively manage multiple complex campaigns extending months and years. The Evansville Club has also been able to heighten awareness among staff members regarding day-to-day activities. This is achieved through eNewsletters, an internal and external community calendar, and new capabilities in programs, grants, and donations. Overall reporting has improved, and executive reporting not only allows for accurate and real-time data, but it can be delivered with the click of a button.