The Challenge
Before partnering with Spark Point, Washington School for Girls (WSFG) was in a fundraising holding pattern. While long-standing funders remained consistent, growth had plateaued. The school’s development team knew it was time to expand their funding base, but without added capacity or strategic grant infrastructure, they couldn’t get ahead.
Adding urgency, WSG had just entered the quiet phase of its Building Dreams capital campaign to build a permanent home in Ward 8. They needed to act quickly and strategically to capitalize on the moment and elevate their institutional fundraising.
The Spark Point Solution
In Spring 2023, WSFG brought in Spark Point to support both short- and long-term fundraising goals. Our Fired Up Grants service delivered a strong grant strategy and writing partnership during a pivotal campaign period and a time to scale their development strategy.
Our work included:
- Providing strategic insight on how to secure increased proposal requests from new, current, and lapsed funders
- Developing strong messaging for the capital campaign that leveraged increased gifts from current grantors
- Creating flexible boilerplate language for a variety of program areas, which WSG has since used in donor emails, proposals, and community messaging
- Implementing streamlined structure and systems such as biweekly meetings, grants calendar management, and long-range planning to move from reactive to strategic
- Supporting dual-ask proposals that invited funders to support both capital and programmatic needs, helping increase gifts from existing funders
Spark Point also played a crucial role in building out WSG’s prospect pipeline and helping the team re-engage lapsed funders with fresh, relevant outreach. This service helps clients reflect on their current relationships to see what is the best way to re-engage them, with a clear actionable plan.
Results
Since partnering with Spark Point, WSG has experienced:
- $5,376,763 won in grant awards
- 35 new prospects engaged
- 12 lapsed funders re-engaged
Several long-term funders increased their annual giving specifically to support the capital campaign, while others opened the door to new, multi-year support. Even in cases where funding wasn’t secured, proposals elevated the school’s visibility and initiated promising conversations.
Real-World Impact
The outcomes of this collaboration extend beyond dollars, and continues to do so. Spark Point helped WSG strengthen the way they communicate impact within proposals and across all donor touchpoints.
“The structure Spark Point brought was instrumental, from biweekly check-ins to planning deliverables weeks in advance. It allowed us to maintain current funders, increase gifts, and create room to go after new prospects. And by taking grant writing off our plate, it gave our team more time to work on the ground with staff and students, and to build authentic relationships with donors. The language we developed together has helped sharpen all our communications, from grants to donor emails to everyday conversations in the community.”
— Annie Jensen, Institutional Giving Coordinator, Washington School for Girls
Why It Matters
By working in close partnership with WSG’s development leadership, Spark Point brought clarity, strategy, and structure to a high-stakes fundraising moment. The results: stronger proposals, deeper donor engagement, and more time for WSG’s team to focus on what matters most — connecting with people.
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