Driving Donor Engagement and Climate Action: CORE’s Full-Funnel Marketing Transformation
Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) has been driving climate action for over 30 years by providing funding, resources, and expert guidance to homeowners and building owners in Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield counties. As the climate crisis escalated and CORE’s funding model transitioned from government-backed initiatives to grants and private donations, the organization needed a compelling brand story and a full-funnel marketing strategy to engage key stakeholders—homeowners, philanthropists, and policymakers.
THE PROBLEM
CORE faced several challenges in adapting to its new funding model and growing its impact:
- Evolving Climate Crisis Messaging – With climate challenges intensifying, CORE needed to refine its communication strategy to effectively reach and mobilize stakeholders
- Inconsistent Communication – Messaging varied across donor, homeowner, and partner audiences, leading to engagement gaps
- Fundraising Shift – Moving from public to private funding required a more strategic and persuasive marketing approach to attract and retain donors
- Balancing Local and Global Impact – CORE had to connect the $30M-per-year climate problem with immediate, local actions that Colorado residents could take
Recognizing these hurdles, CORE engaged OTM to develop a unified brand narrative and full-funnel marketing approach that would align messaging, increase engagement, and drive donations.
THE SOLUTION
Our Unique Approach
OTM guided CORE through The OTM Path to Growth®, a framework that included:
- Market Analysis – Understanding audience behavior, donor motivations, and communication gaps
- Persona Development – Creating detailed profiles for homeowners and donors—two distinct audiences with unique needs
- Strategic Messaging – Establishing a shared language using the StoryBrand framework to ensure clarity and consistency across all touchpoints
Digital Advertising Optimization
Launched multi-platform campaigns to test messaging effectiveness and refine calls to action
Website Enhancement
Redesigned and optimized three primary landing pages for better conversion and clarity
30th-Anniversary Storytelling
Developed a milestone video to celebrate CORE’s impact and engage its community
Collaboration with CORE
OTM worked closely with CORE’s leadership team to shape the messaging and marketing strategy, and then partnered with the internal marketing and donor development teams to ensure seamless execution.
Obstacles to Overcome
The primary challenge was bridging the gap between the overwhelming scale of the climate crisis and the tangible impact of local actions. By refining messaging and storytelling, OTM helped CORE communicate its mission in a way that resonates with donors and homeowners alike.
Optimized Communication Touchpoint Map
A full-funnel approach with over 500 tailored communication touchpoints to nurture donors, homeowners, and partners
RESULTS
Outcomes
- Established a cohesive brand message using the StoryBrand framework
- Created a high-impact 30th-anniversary video to strengthen CORE’s storytelling
- Implemented a full-funnel digital advertising strategy, allowing for real-time optimization of headlines and CTAs
- Successfully redesigned and relaunched key landing pages to improve audience engagement and conversion
Key Performance Indicators
- 237% increase in overall website sessions in Q4 2024 compared to Q3 2024
- 182% growth in on-site engagement and tracked events
- 33% of total Q4 website traffic driven by Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns
- Social campaigns contributed to 9.72% of all tracked user actions on the website
- CORE met its 2024 End-of-Year fundraising goal, marking a major success
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