Background
Over the last two years QIMR Berghofer has been on a journey to transform their individual giving strategy, placing donor relationships, rather than transactions, at the heart of their fundraising. This meant rethinking how they connect with their most committed supporters and optimising every touchpoint, to create a committed donor program.
In 2025, the team set out to dramatically improve the experience of their mid-value donors, and their 2025 Tax Appeal became the flagship test of this approach.
Following a record-breaking campaign result, the QIMR Berghofer team further committed their focus on the high and mid value donor experience, with outstanding results for their 2026 Tax Appeal, a direct reflection of this new stewardship focus.
The Campaign
Following a successful partnership in 2025, QIMR Berghofer once again engaged Fundraising Every Day (FED) in 2026 for strategic support and campaign execution.
The focus remained on strong engagement with high and mid value supporters. With our guidance, QIMR Berghofer continued with the efficiencies of a top-down approach, and further expanding targeting of their mid-value segment.
The primary objectives of the 2026 Tax Appeal were to:
• Increase gross income year on year ($630K in 2025) while maintaining a strong net return.
• Deepen donor loyalty among high-value and mid-value supporters ($500–$49,999 annually).
• Encourage upgrades from existing supporters to lift average gift value.
In 2025, QIMR Berghofer replaced their prior “one-size-fits-all” approach with a personalised journey. This required clear segmentation, based on giving level, recency, frequency, channel preference and known relationships; and ensured mid-value donors, monthly givers, and confirmed bequestors were being acknowledged in ways better reflecting their loyalty.
By identifying and segmenting their high and mid-value donors, elevated creative treatments could then be applied, including premium, stationary, hand-addressed envelopes and thoughtful cause-related gifts; all anchored by an emotional and compelling case study.
We then ensured the creative and copy worked hard to reflect each donor’s role in making research possible, shifting from using jargon to personalised, impact-focussed storytelling.
In 2025, QIMR Berghofer also began personalised invitations to select donors for in-person regional events, creating face-to-face connections that helped deepen relationships and prompt additional large gifts.
Off the back of this success, in 2026 QIMR Berghofer hosted “May We Thank You”, an in-person event for new supporters at their Brisbane head office. Professor Day the researcher featured in their 2026 Tax Appeal spoke, with attendees then being given the chance to tour the laboratories and hear from researchers on the ground across a range of fields.
The Result
In 2025, QIMR Berghofer achieved a Gross Income result of $630K (which was at the time, their highest Tax Appeal result to date), with net return increasing by 24% year on year ($630K, up from $495K in 2024).
Average gift increased by $137 compared to 2024 ($575, up from $438).
QIMR Berghofer also received 146 donations of $1,000 or more (a 20% uplift in the value of donations of >$1,000 from Tax 2024), justifying the additional focus on high and mid value supporters.
In 2026, they impressively exceeded these results once again, generating an outstanding $781K in Gross income (an increase of $151K or 23% year on year), with net return increasing by an incredible 28% year on year ($719K, up from $571K in 2025).
Average gift further increased by $103 compared to 2025 ($678, up from $575).
They received 181 donations of $1,000 or more (a 29% uplift in the value of donations of >$1,000 compared to Tax 2025), and a positive reflection of QIMR Berghofer’s continued focus on high and mid value supporters.
Taking a insights-driven approach to these two consecutive major Tax Appeals has replaced a static experience with one that acknowledges each donor’s history, preferences, and value, deepening connection and driving stronger results year-on-year.
QIMR Berghofer were awarded FIA Awards Finalist 2026 for ‘Best Supporter Experience’, for their outstanding 2025 Tax Appeal.