The Center for Legal Immigration Assistance (CLIA) has provided essential, low-cost legal and mental health services to Nebraska's immigrants and refugees since 2001. Despite their profound impact, a strategic plan revealed that limited public awareness and brand confusion were hindering their ability to attract individual donors, leading to a heavy and uncertain reliance on grants.

CLIA partnered with Stingray Writing to craft and execute a consistent, comprehensive content strategy. The goal was to elevate their brand, connect with new donors, and build a more sustainable fundraising model by telling the powerful stories of the people they serve.

The Challenge: A Quiet Impact

CLIA's vital work was a well-kept secret. With a small, passionate staff dedicated to client services, the organization struggled with:

Limited Public Awareness: Many in the community were unaware of CLIA’s mission and the breadth of its services, which include helping survivors of domestic violence, reuniting families, and providing mental health support.
Brand Confusion: The organization was sometimes confused with other nonprofits offering similar services.
Donor Stewardship: A heavy dependence on grants meant a limited and underdeveloped individual donor base, creating financial uncertainty.

CLIA needed a strategic content partner to transform its quiet impact into a compelling public narrative that could spark donor action and create long-term stability.

The Solution: Strategic Storytelling in Action

Stingray Writing developed and implemented a multi-channel content strategy centered on authentic, human-centered storytelling. This involved a deep collaboration with the CLIA team to identify and share the experiences of the clients and staff at the heart of the mission.

The strategy included:

Client-Focused Fundraising Campaigns

We executed comprehensive campaigns for End-of-Year Giving and Give to Lincoln Day. These campaigns integrated client stories across direct mail (appeal letters, postcards, response cards), email newsletters, and a consistent drumbeat of social media content. Powerful stories, like Shireen, a Yazidi asylum seeker, became the centerpiece of the fundraising push.

Consistent, Multi-Channel Content

A full content calendar was established across Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). We developed and published 5-6 posts weekly, sharing client testimonials, explaining complex legal terms and processes in simple terms (like DACA and U-Visas), and highlighting staff expertise. This consistent presence kept the community informed and engaged.

Public Relations and Media Outreach

We amplified CLIA's reach by securing media placements. A feature story about CLIA's work with a Honduran immigrant was published in the Lincoln Journal Star, and we pitched stories to local radio outlets and podcasts like KZUM and Agency for Change.

Enhanced Brand Awareness

We supported CLIA's new strategic direction by promoting their updated mission and vision statements. To build credibility and showcase their leadership, we also highlighted community partnerships, such as citizenship classes and the SEED the Change fundraiser, celebrated staff achievements, like Executive Director Mary Choate winning the Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year award, and promoted client services, like their free interpreter training.

The Results: A Resounding Success

The partnership yielded transformative results, significantly boosting CLIA's fundraising, brand awareness, and community engagement.

Fundraising Growth:

1,000% Increase in end-of-year donations (2024 vs. 2023)
57% Increase in Give to Lincoln Day donations, setting a record for the organization (2025 vs. 2024)

Audience Engagement:

163% Increase in Facebook followers over a 6-month period
4,558 Impressions in just two months (a 1,257% increase)
254% increase in monthly website visits over a three-month period.
From May to November 2024, our content generated over 21,700 impressions and 452 link clicks on Facebook.
A single post about a client named Qasim reached nearly 500 people and earned a 29.42% engagement rate.

What The Client Said

By placing powerful stories at the forefront of their communications, the Center for Legal Immigration Assistance successfully translated its vital work into a compelling case for support. This strategic shift not only shattered their fundraising records but also built a foundation for sustained growth and a stronger, more engaged community of supporters.

"Working with Brittany has been transformative. Our team is deeply focused on providing critical legal and mental health services, which left little time to focus on marketing and fundraising. Brittany dove right in, understood the sensitive and complex nature of our work, and masterfully translated it into powerful stories that resonate with donors. Her strategic approach directly led to a record-breaking fundraising year and has been instrumental in raising our profile in the community. She allows us to focus on our mission, knowing our stories are being told with heart and precision." — Mary Choate, Executive Director, CLIA

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Case Study: Center for Legal Immigration Assistance (CLIA)