Colonial Williamsburg Foundation operates the largest outdoor living museum in the country, upholding an educational mission through immersive, authentic 18th-century experiences and programming for visitors.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (CWF) is a private, not-for-profit 503(c)(3) educational institution. The organization does not receive state or federal funding but relies on tax-deductible gifts and bequests from our donors. https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/

Donations support the acquisition and conservation of art, preservation and maintenance of buildings, production of publications and audiovisual programs, and all educational activities. These donations are essential to the foundation, and donors must be graciously acknowledged for their contributions.

In the past, CWF had an internally defined process of acknowledging donors for their generous donations. Their staff would generate letters and collateral and manually insert the envelopes every day. This vital process was significantly impacted by the pandemic early in 2020. Due to the stay-at-home order, the staff and volunteers could not process the acknowledgments, which caused a delay in sending out the packets.

CWF approached Breeger Media to discuss the functions that were available to support the process. Since Breeger Media offers both printing, mailing and fulfillment services, we were an obvious choice. The solution was a process implemented by Breeger for CWF, which solved the issue quickly and efficiently.

Breeger began by storing the collateral inventory in our location, enabling reorder metrics and usage reporting to manage stock. Each night our service department receives a data file of donors from the previous day. This file is processed and printed by our staff. The acknowledgment mailings will contain multiple inserts based on the donor’s gift and standing. Due to variations in packing requirements, certain mailing types must be prepared by hand while others get inserted through automation. It is crucial to get the packets correct and in the mail the next day with no errors.

Breeger Media quickly took on the challenge of reconfiguring a vital process for the Foundation. The result was significant savings in both time and money. By optimizing postage, taking on inventory management, saving physical space, and ensuring a next-day mailing, Breeger has provided the continuation of a critical communication activity crucial to the fundraising efforts for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.