Case Study: Operation Smile achieves 38% increase in monthly sustainers with Blackbaud's Luminate Online and Merchant Services

Operation Smile - Customer Case Study

Operation Smile is an international medical nonprofit that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries for children and young adults with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities across more than 60 countries since 1982. Facing the common nonprofit challenge of securing steady, predictable revenue to run and expand programs, the organization prioritized building a reliable monthly giving stream to improve retention, reduce attrition, and strengthen financial projections.

Using Blackbaud solutions (Luminate Online, Blackbaud Merchant Services, Raiser’s Edge, TeamRaiser, analytics and related tools), Operation Smile implemented tactics like an upsell lightbox on its donation hub (4–5% conversion), an employee peer‑to‑peer giving program with matching and incentives, expanded telemarketing and direct mail outreach, and a credit‑card updater to preserve recurring gifts. The integrated approach boosted sustainers by 38% since early 2013, delivering steadier income, better forecasting, and confidence to expand programs.

Operation Smile

Ryan Wallace

Online Fundraising Manager