Case Study: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS achieves stronger donor cultivation and growth in annual and planned giving with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS looks to sustain its mission by cultivating long-standing donor connections

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a New York–based nonprofit that provides lifesaving services to people with HIV/AIDS and performing‑arts workers, needed to move beyond one‑time “red bucket” donations after performances toward more strategic, sustainable fundraising. With demand for services rising and state and federal funding shrinking, the organization prioritized deeper donor cultivation, segmented appeals, and growth in annual and planned giving to stabilize revenue and sustain grantmaking.

They implemented Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT for fundraising and relationship management—a mobile, user‑friendly platform that logs every interaction, helps identify donors’ interests and capacity, and enables targeted segmentation. Staff report it’s been a game‑changer, improving fundraising and donor stewardship; annual giving is one of their fastest‑growing revenue sources, and in 2018 the organization awarded $7.3M through its National Grants Program (up 9% year‑over‑year) and $5.8M to The Actors Fund (up 5%), helping sustain services nationwide.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Sarah Cardillo

Senior Development Officer