As audiences increasingly consume content through different channels, Maryland Public Television (MPT) needed to find new ways to connect to its donor base beyond the traditional communication channels. While direct mail and email had long supported its donor outreach, response rates were declining.
Recognizing the power of real-time, personal communication, MPT turned to SMS marketing. Partnering with NextGen and Tatango, the station built a text program that maximized engagement, strengthened donor relationships, and extended its mission to educate, inform, and inspire through interactive content personalized to subscriber segments.
The Client
Serving audiences across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and nearby regions of West Virginia, Delaware, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, Maryland Public Television (MPT) operates six broadcast channels and multiple digital platforms. It delivers award-winning local productions, PBS programs, and educational content to more than 2.3 million viewers each week.
The Challenge
MPT looked to NextGen to optimize supporter engagement in a competitive digital landscape. However, traditional engagement channels were not delivering the desired results, and an innovative approach was required to connect with supporters to encourage pledge drive participation, event sign-ups, and improved donor interaction.
MPT made a cost-effective investment in SMS marketing, turning it into a high-impact channel to reach its audience in real time.
The Results
NextGen worked with its SMS partner Tatango to help MPT implement an SMS marketing campaign to build healthy donor relationships and provide valuable communications encouraging MPT audiences to support their mission.
Between January and August 2025, NextGen helped MPT achieve the following results:
- MPT’s text subscriber list grew 87% through interactive and targeted content like polls, surveys, and impact stories.
- The Click-Through Rate (CTR) for text campaigns was higher than their email CTRs, at 4%, and MPT was able to integrate cross-channel marketing, using SMS and email to maximize outreach.
- MPT’s Valentine’s fundraiser grew threefold.
- By using SMS marketing for pledge drives, MPT doubled its subscriber list within the first year of this campaign.
About NextGen Fundraising
NextGen is a thought leader and knowledge resource in the nonprofit industry. We advise clients at all levels of the organization, and from our experience, we know that fundraising is most effective when aligned with the organization’s mission, financial, and marketing strategies and goals.
For us, strategy drives the tactics, not the other way around. Our agency creates information-driven fundraising plans rooted in a culture of analysis. We embrace new technology and believe successful nonprofits transform through the coordination of media and a commitment to multichannel donor relationships.
The NextGen team comprises strategists and specialists in fundraising, direct response, and digital marketing services. Most of us have worked and volunteered at nonprofits, giving us a distinct perspective on organizations’ operations.
Whether you need to grow more donors or grow more revenue, NextGen is ready to help you achieve your goals. Your success is our reward.
To learn more about our work, check out our services, or contact us today.