Jennifer Guo
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Research Mentor(s): Kayla Schindler
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Girls Group / 0
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 4 – 2:40pm – 3:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Jennifer Guo, Kayla Schindler
Presenter: 112
Abstract
Girls Group, a nonprofit organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan, empowers young women to achieve emotional and economic self-sufficiency by ensuring they graduate from high school and begin their college or career journeys. Since 2003, over 690 participants have benefited from year-round comprehensive programs that focus on academic readiness, social/emotional life skills, financial education, and community service. However, many nonprofit organizations face challenges such as sustainability, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this study, we researched strategies to expand Girls Group’s social media presence, build community partnerships, and increase donor retention. With a $60 budget, we promoted Instagram and Facebook posts surrounding Giving Tuesday, tracking metrics such as the number of followers and total page views. As a result, we found an increase in short-term engagement. To further our goal of fostering transformational relationships, we focused on exploring best practices for donor communication, creating a list of potential corporate sponsors, and developing tools such as letter templates for reaching out to media outlets. In addition, we compared possible donor management software with features including acquisition and attrition rates. This information will help us measure the effectiveness of these fundraising strategies and identify areas for improvement. Girls Group plans on implementing this research in future marketing and development efforts, ultimately continuing its mission of helping young women find their voices, define their goals and dreams, and move forward in the world with pride and self-confidence.
Interdisciplinary, Social Sciences
