Overview
The National Zakat Foundation (NZF) needed a way to increase donations without spending more. With help from eMarket Select (EMS), they transformed their fundraising approach resulting in a 137% increase in Ramadan donations and a 50% drop in cost-per-acquisition (CPA).
It started with a simple philosophy: before you ask, give.
The Challenge
Plenty of traffic. Not enough impact.
In past years, NZF ran ads that brought people to their site, but many didn’t donate. It was getting expensive to reach new donors, and the message wasn’t resonating as deeply as it needed to.
Ramadan was approaching. And with it, the need for a new kind of engagement.
The Shift in Strategy
From transactional to transformational.
Instead of relying on seasonal urgency, NZF and EMS took a different route:
They spent the entire year giving value first through education, inspiration, and consistency.
This included:
· Explaining Zakat in clear, helpful ways
· Sharing powerful real-life stories
· Offering tools and reminders to help people fulfill their Zakat
· Building a digital ecosystem that felt like guidance, not pressure
By the time Ramadan came around, the audience was already engaged. The campaign wasn’t a cold pushy appeal but a natural next step in an ongoing relationship.
Execution: How We Did It
NZF's Ramadan 2025 strategy wasn’t about doing more. It was about doing it smarter — across four main areas:
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
· Targeted Ramadan creatives and CTAs
· Clear, warm messaging built on prior engagement
Google Ads
· Focused on donation-specific campaigns
· High-performance PMAX campaigns led to major results
AdRoll
· Smart retargeting of past site visitors and warm audiences
· Gentle reminders rooted in trust and familiarity
SEO & Content
· Consistent educational content throughout the year
· Positioned NZF as a trusted guide, not just a fundraising platform
Results
Overall Performance
· 137.23% increase in total Ramadan donations
· 49.59% drop in average CPA ($76.12 → $38.37)
Meta Ads
· 152.41% increase in donations
· 60% reduction in CPA
Google Ads
200% increase in donations
1,259 donations from PMAX campaigns alone
51% reduction in CPA
AdRoll
35.6% increase in donations
23% drop in CPA
The Human Impact
This wasn’t just about numbers but about behavioral change. Donors gave without pressure or guilt. They felt spiritually connected. The donation was a response to months of value, not a last-minute emotional push. Trust replaced urgency. Relationship replaced one-off asks.
Conclusion: A New Model for Nonprofits
The success of this campaign proves a key lesson:
“When you give consistently, people give generously.”
By investing in value-first communication and building trust over time, NZF didn’t just get more donations but they built stronger connections with their community.
What Nonprofits Can Learn from This
· Stop relying on seasonal pressure
· Start investing in year-round, trust-based engagement
· Use content to educate, inspire, and empower
· Build relationships that make giving feel natural