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Client Story

Ideastream Public Media

How Rightsizing Caseloads and Investing in Mid-Level Unlocks Transformational Giving

In moments of urgency, donors respond to trust. Ideastream Public Media’s standout fundraising performance in FY25 and FY26 was not driven by crisis alone, but by the strong foundation it had already built through a disciplined, relationship-centered major and mid-level gifts program. Since partnering with Veritus in 2021, Ideastream committed to structure, stewardship, and best practices, creating the conditions for donors to step up when it mattered most.

 

01. Problem / Challenge

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When Ideastream began working with Veritus, the organization faced a challenge familiar to many public media stations. Only one Major Gift Officer was responsible for more than 700 donors, giving anywhere from $1,200 to $250,000 annually. With too many donors and too little staff capacity, meaningful relationship-building was nearly impossible, leaving significant growth untapped.



02. Solution

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Veritus partnered with Ideastream to redesign the program so donor engagement aligned more intentionally with donor capacity and staff expertise. Key recommendations included establishing a formal mid-level program for donors giving $500–$2,499, hiring a Mid-Level Manager and two Mid-Level Officers to manage caseloads at scale, and raising the major gifts threshold to $2,500 so the Major Gift Officer could focus on higher-capacity donors.

03. Results

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Ideastream’s results in FY25 and FY26 were exceptional, particularly given the broader uncertainty in public media funding. Major gifts revenue finished 14% over FY24 and 66% over the FY25 goal. Mid-level revenue increased 58% year over year, or 25% even when excluding an extraordinary outlier gift.

These numbers do not fully capture the momentum created. During the same period, Ideastream secured $1 million and $2 million commitments that will be realized in the coming fiscal year, including the largest gift in the organization’s history. When the need became urgent, donors responded because the relationships were already in place.
“This is really a full organizational commitment. It is just not a development commitment. And I think that the structure of Veritus has helped us as an organization in many ways moving forward.”

 

Yvette Cook Darby

Chief Development and Marketing Officer

What the Organization Needed

Ideastream needed a way to meaningfully engage a growing and diverse donor base without overwhelming staff. Following a merger and years of flat structure, the organization required a clear segmentation strategy, realistic caseload sizes, and a pathway to cultivate donors over time. Veritus partnered closely with leadership to design a solution that matched Ideastream’s culture, capacity, and long-term goals.

Our Recommendation

Veritus helped Ideastream restructure its fundraising program by aligning donors with the right staff, raising internal thresholds, and building a robust mid-level program. By right-sizing caseloads, emphasizing donor qualification, and equipping officers with DEPs and consistent coaching, the team was able to deepen relationships at every level. These changes created the conditions for transformational giving and ensured that donors felt known, valued, and inspired to give more when it mattered most.

The Results

82%
Increase in Revenue

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By year two of the pilot program with Veritus, revenue increased by nearly 82% with additional revenue totaling $745,717.

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105%
Turnaround in Value Attrition

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After the first year of the pilot program with major gifts, value attrition improved by 105% (from -46% of value lost year over year, to +2.5% value retained). This means not only did existing donors stay; in aggregate they gave 2.5% more than they had previously.

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77%
Average Increase in Giving Per Donor

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During the pilot program, the value per donor increased by nearly 77% to an average gift of $5,215.

 
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66%
Over Major Gifts Goal


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Major gifts revenue finished 14% over FY24 and closed FY25 at 66% above goal—despite conservative projections following several non-repeatable prior-year gifts.

 
$3M
in Transformational Commitments Secured


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By reducing its MGO’s caseload and allowing for focused principal gift strategy, Ideastream secured $1M and $2M commitments that will be realized in FY26.

 
58%
Growth in Mid-Level Revenue

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Mid-level giving increased 58% year over year, with average gift per active donor up 59% and attrition reduced from a pre-Veritus average of -31% to just -1%.

 

 

Ready to get results like these for your organization? Get started with our free donor file assessment. There’s no obligation to work with us, and it’s completely free and confidential.

Other organizations that have taken us up on this free assessment have been able to determine:

  • Where existing donors are giving less
  • The rate at which they’re losing existing donor value
  • Where there’s potential for a turnaround
  • How many fundraisers they really need in mid-level and major gifts
  • Their revenue potential over time

The sooner you understand what’s happening in your data, the sooner you can act. This is information you need to be successful in your fundraising efforts and make an even greater impact on your mission. And it starts when you request a free donor file assessment.

 
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