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It started over cocoa and couch cushions. One December, we were dreaming up a holiday event, and my kids casually asked, “Can people earn points for giving money?” And just like that, the seed of an idea took root.
At Watson, we’ve built platforms and campaigns for some of the most recognizable names in nonprofit and civic life. But this time, we weren’t doing it for a client—we were doing it for ourselves. We built a custom fundraising experience from scratch, invited our community to test it out, and ended up with more than just donations. We sparked a new model for digital generosity. And we took that model straight into our work with clients like the Oregon Zoo and the Oregon Cultural Trust, where it’s still delivering results today.
This wasn’t about proving we could build a donation engine. It was about proving we could build joy.
We built the whole thing in-house—custom portal, user interface, gamified actions, and a mobile-optimized reward system. Guests could earn points by visiting nonprofit partners like Oregon Children’s Theatre, liking their social media, signing up for newsletters, watching videos, or donating directly.
Donations equaled higher points. Points could be used for prizes: Timbers gear, a 7-day resort getaway, exclusive items from partner brands. And because everything was tracked in real time, the moment someone placed a bid or completed an action, it showed up on their dashboard instantly.
What surprised us was how sticky it became. 87% of total user points were earned before the holiday party even started. Once the event kicked off, phones were out, bidding wars broke loose, and 64% of total donations happened on the spot. We watched casual guests transform into mission-aligned advocates—all because the experience was designed to feel fun, rewarding, and intentional.
In total, we raised $5,000 in just a few weeks. But the real ROI came in the form of insight.
We didn’t let those learnings sit on the shelf.
Soon after, we began working with the Oregon Zoo Foundation on ways to deepen community participation—not just during their marquee events, but year-round. Families were already attending zoo lights and summer concerts, but the challenge was turning one-time guests into repeat givers.
Inspired by our holiday experiment, we helped the Zoo rethink their donor engagement strategy using custom-built microsites, incentive-based storytelling, and interactive digital touchpoints. Whether it was a scavenger hunt for kids during ZooLights or behind-the-scenes animal stories tied to monthly giving, the same mechanics applied: light-touch interaction, real-time rewards, emotional resonance.
In one campaign, donors who contributed during a seasonal event were invited into a digital experience where they could unlock exclusive content based on their giving tier. It wasn’t just about the dollars—it was about making each person feel like part of the Zoo’s mission in a personalized way.
Similarly, with the Oregon Cultural Trust, we tackled a statewide challenge: how do you encourage participation in a cultural tax credit program when most Oregonians don’t even know it exists?
We approached it like a creative campaign, but with a behavioral economics lens. Based on what we learned from our holiday portal, we structured messaging around immediate value (“double your impact”) and simplified the decision-making process through storytelling, video, and micro-rewards. The Trust’s new site featured interactive content that visually mapped where donations go, and donors were guided through a short, satisfying journey—one with clear progress, emotional payoff, and social sharing tools built in.
The shift? People went from passive readers to active participants.
So often in nonprofit communications, we lead with urgency. “Time is running out.” “We’re behind.” It works—to a point. But what our experiment taught us (and what the Zoo and Cultural Trust confirmed) is that giving doesn’t have to feel like a moral transaction.
It can feel like curiosity. Like discovery. Like play.
When people are rewarded for exploring, not just giving, they begin to build an emotional stake. Our holiday platform wasn’t about guilt—it was about making people feel like they were winning while doing good. And that sense of empowerment translates, whether you’re raising $5,000 for children’s theatre or $500,000 for statewide cultural preservation.
If you’re stuck in a cycle of email blasts and one-night-only events, it might be time to build something better. Here’s what we learned—and what we still apply across every mission-based client:
Build a longer runway. Our most successful campaigns don’t start with “give now.” They start with “explore this.” Start early. Seed curiosity.
Design with emotion, not urgency. A quiz can be more powerful than a countdown clock. A story can outperform a stat.
Create a feedback loop. Let people see the impact of their actions in real time—even if it’s as simple as watching a progress bar fill up.
Celebrate the small stuff. We once gave points just for watching a video. That single action led to newsletter signups, shares, and ultimately, donations.
Make giving feel like belonging. Whether it’s a digital badge, a shareable playlist, or a behind-the-scenes video, offer something that feels like an invitation into the mission.
