Sandy Hook Promise helps pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act + quadruples fundraising with Bonterra

Overview

Diverse group of young people wearing Sandy Hook Promise wristbands with their hands stacked together in solidarity. — Sandy Hooks United for change and a safer future.

Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Based in Newtown, Connecticut, their intent is to honor all victims of gun violence by turning their tragedy into a moment of transformation.

By empowering youth to “know the signs” and uniting all people who value the protection of children, SHP and their supporters take meaningful actions in schools, homes, and communities to prevent gun violence and stop the tragic loss of life. To date, their evidence-based programs have engaged over 35 million participants at more than 34,000 schools. Their 501(c)(4) sibling organization, the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, writes and champions common-sense policy to prevent gun violence and support mental wellness.

Challenges

Sandy Hook Promise, their associated Action Fund, and their supporters take regular advocacy action together to advance policy aligned with their mission of preventing gun violence. But while their programs had national reach and strong momentum, their rapid-response capabilities were being tested like never before.

In the wake of the May 24, 2022 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, SHP needed to quickly mobilize supporters, pressure lawmakers, and amplify their call for common-sense legislation all while managing a surge in public engagement and heightened emotional urgency. They faced the challenge of activating their base at scale, across channels, and doing so with speed, accuracy, and impact.

Crowd of protestors holding Sandy Hook Promise and gun reform signs during a public demonstration. — Rallying to protect our kids

This campaign required more than passion; it required a platform that could help them respond in real time and maintain supporter trust during a critical window for change.

Solution

One platform. Multiple goals. Unified results.

Sandy Hook Promise had clear goals: to run a rapid-response campaign around the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, convert supporter momentum into policy change, and apply successful strategies across programs. As a customer of Bonterra EveryAction and NGP VAN since 2018, SHP had already built a strong digital foundation.

They used the Bonterra EveryAction platform to:

Track supporter data and activity in their CRM
Mobilize advocates and donors across multiple digital channels
Create engagement journeys that led to meaningful actions like signing petitions, contacting lawmakers, and making donations

Collage of advocacy materials from Sandy Hook Promise including a video, email alert, protest signage, and campaign messages promoting gun safety legislation. — Turning heartbreak into action and impact.

Their team leveraged analytics to test messaging, measure performance, and adjust strategy throughout each campaign. Bonterra’s dashboards and marketing automation allowed them to quickly identify what was working and optimize every touchpoint.

During the rapid-response campaign, SHP launched a coordinated effort that included digital ads, videos, email, and mobile messaging. Bonterra’s segmentation tools enabled them to precisely target key legislative districts — an essential factor in the campaign’s success.

Impact

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed

President Joe Biden signed the Act into law on June 25, 2022. The law expands mental health services and provides support to design and enhance school safety initiatives.

Graphic displaying Sandy Hook Promise campaign results: 230k+ letters to the Senate, 59k phone calls, 92% supporter list growth, and 289k+ advocacy messages.

With their growing list, SHP used Bonterra technology to segment, track, and engage new supporters with relevant messages, donation asks, and continued advocacy opportunities.

They also applied Bonterra’s email capabilities to supporter engagement in creative ways, like running a vote for new merchandise designs, which helped raise $100,000 from a single email.

As a result:

Merchandise revenue tripled, jumping from $100,000 to $300,000
SHP quadrupled year-over-year fundraising revenue

Bonterra’s unified technology gave Sandy Hook Promise the ability to activate more advocates, raise more funds, and move quickly during moments that mattered most.

Two mobile phones displaying a Sandy Hook Promise campaign encouraging supporters to vote on a T-shirt design and purchase to support gun violence prevention. — Honoring lives lost with action and remembrance.

Want to take a deeper dive into how Sandy Hook Promise uses Bonterra to boost their advocacy and fundraising efforts? Read the full case study.