Case Study: Blood:Water raises $28M and brings clean water to 1M people with Classy

How Responsible Storytelling Built a Community

Blood:Water, founded by Dan Haseltine and Jena Lee Nardella, tackles the linked crises of HIV/AIDS and unsafe water in East and Southern Africa. Facing heavy stigma around HIV, early limits of online fundraising, and a lean team of 11 staff, the organization needed a way to engage supporters, build trust, and move people to action without resorting to pity-based appeals.

They responded with responsible, dignity-centered storytelling and by partnering with local leaders, then scaled fundraising and engagement using an all-in-one platform (Classy) that enables branded donation and peer-to-peer pages. The approach helped Blood:Water raise $28 million, provide water to over 1 million people, serve 62,000 HIV patients, complete the 1,000 Wells Project in six years, and achieve sustained prevention results like eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission at partner clinics.

Blood:Water

Dan Haseltine

Co-Founder & Artist Relations