Blakely Fundraising

What Blakely Fundraising does

Blakely Fundraising (legal entity Blakely Inc.) is a privately held Canadian fundraising consultancy headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, that serves charitable and nonprofit organizations across Canada and the United States. The firm delivers a portfolio of professional services spanning donor research, integrated multi-channel campaigns (direct mail, email, digital media), donor journey mapping, legacy and mid-level giving program development, proposition and case-for-support development, donor acquisition, stewardship, and data analytics. Its two proprietary differentiators are Affinity Surveys — donor research that surfaces motivations, affinity levels, and high-value prospect identification — and BENCH, a benchmarking tool that evaluates legacy, mid-level, and high-value giving program performance against peer organizations.

The business model is professional services: revenue is generated through project-based fees and ongoing retainer engagements tailored to client scope and complexity, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is account-based, relying on direct outreach to charity executives and development directors, supplemented by a content-led funnel through The Blakely Exchange (research publications, webinars, the annual Fundraising Forecast, and quarterly Pulse Check updates) and presence at sector conferences (AFP ICON, CAGP National Conference, Woodmark Summit). The customer base is diversified across verticals including healthcare (Heart & Stroke Foundation, Diabetes Canada, UHN Foundation, CAMH Foundation, Sunnybrook Foundation, Alberta Cancer Foundation, Children's National Hospital Foundation), food banks (Food Bank of Waterloo Region, Food Banks Canada, Ottawa Food Bank), international development (Oxfam Canada, Cuso International, UNHCR Canada), performing arts (National Ballet of Canada), environmental (Conservation International, Nature Conservancy of Canada), and social services (Good Shepherd, The Mustard Seed). Leadership includes President Kesheyl van Schilt, EVPs in Strategic Growth & Innovation and Strategy & Planning, and VPs across Insights & Analytics, Donor Experience, and Client Relationships.

The firm has no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or external funding rounds; ownership and control are not publicly specified in available sources. Documented client outcomes include a 90% year-over-year increase in monthly donors for Food Bank of Waterloo Region, 46% revenue growth post-pandemic for Diabetes Canada, 3% revenue uplift and 41% brand recognition for Heart & Stroke's Edge Fund mid-level product, 40% of target donors doubling giving through UHN's Accelerator Fund, and a potential lifetime ROI exceeding 7,300% for Cuso International's legacy campaign.

Name

Blakely Fundraising

Legal name

Blakely Inc.

Website

https://blakelyfundraising.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Blakely Fundraising is a Canadian professional services consultancy that helps nonprofit organizations across North America improve donor acquisition, retention, and lifetime value through proprietary research tools (Affinity Surveys, BENCH), integrated multi-channel campaigns, and strategic fundraising advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fundraising Consulting

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Fundraising & Donor Acquisition Calling (Nonprofit) (BPAAADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Fundraising consulting services
• Nonprofit donor research
• Integrated fundraising campaigns
• Legacy giving programs
• Donor journey mapping

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fundraising Consulting Services: Blakely provides strategic consulting services to nonprofit organizations including donor acquisition, retention strategy, major gift programs, legacy giving campaigns, integrated marketing, and data analytics. Revenue is generated through project-based fees and ongoing retainer engagements with charity clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blakely Fundraising is a professional fundraising consultancy that provides strategic advisory and campaign execution services to nonprofit organizations. Its offerings include proprietary donor research via Affinity Surveys, benchmarking through BENCH, integrated multi-channel fundraising campaigns, direct mail, digital marketing, email lead generation, donor journey mapping, legacy and mid-level giving programs, proposition development, and stewardship services. Engagements are delivered through project-based and retainer consulting partnerships with charities across Canada and the United States.

Product overview

Blakely Fundraising is a fundraising consultancy that offers a comprehensive suite of advisory and campaign execution services for nonprofit organizations. Rather than a unified software platform, their offering consists of distinct professional services including Affinity Surveys (proprietary donor research tool), integrated multi-channel campaigns, direct mail, digital marketing, email lead generation, data analytics, donor journey mapping, legacy marketing, proposition development, acquisition services, insights, and stewardship programs. These services are delivered through strategic consulting partnerships and are supported by The Blakely Exchange, their thought leadership and research platform. The company primarily serves nonprofit clients across Canada and the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affinity Surveys Proprietary donor research survey methodology that uncovers actionable insights about donor motivations, affinity levels, and engagement potential, helping identify high-value prospects for legacy, mid-value, and sustainer programs. For nonprofit organizations.
• Integrated Campaigns Multi-channel fundraising campaigns combining direct mail, email, digital media, and other touchpoints for comprehensive donor engagement. For nonprofit organizations.
• Direct Mail Fundraising Traditional and data-driven direct mail fundraising campaigns designed to acquire, retain, and upgrade donors. For nonprofit organizations.
• Digital Marketing Digital advertising, paid social, search marketing, and online donor acquisition strategies to expand reach and build engaged supporter communities. For nonprofit organizations.
• Email Lead Generation Email-based donor acquisition and lead generation programs designed to identify and convert new supporters. For nonprofit organizations.
• Data Analytics Data-driven analysis and reporting services that inform fundraising strategy, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization. For nonprofit organizations.
• Donor Research Research services to understand donor motivations, behaviors, and preferences to guide strategic decision-making. For nonprofit organizations.
• Donor Journey Mapping Strategic mapping of donor touchpoints and experiences to optimize engagement, retention, and lifetime value. For nonprofit organizations.
• Legacy Marketing Planned giving and legacy gift marketing programs designed to inspire and convert legacy donors, including proposition development and campaign execution. For nonprofit organizations.
• Proposition Development Strategic fundraising proposition and case for support development that articulates organizational values, positioning, and donor value propositions. For nonprofit organizations.
• Donor Acquisition Donor acquisition programs focused on identifying, attracting, and converting new supporters to fundraising programs. For nonprofit organizations.
• Donor Stewardship Donor stewardship programs designed to build relationships, express gratitude, and enhance donor loyalty and retention. For nonprofit organizations.
• Case for Support Development Development of compelling fundraising cases that articulate organizational mission, impact, and the value proposition for donor giving. For nonprofit organizations.
• BENCH Benchmarking Tool Proprietary benchmarking tool used to evaluate donor program performance and identify opportunities for growth in legacy, mid-level, and high-value giving programs. For nonprofit organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• EAT 365 campaign for Food Bank of Waterloo achieved 90% increase in monthly donors year over year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered notable.

• Conservation InternationalnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlakely partnered with Conservation International on a planned giving webinar, where Conservation International shared insights on using audience segmentation and tailored marketing for legacy donor engagement.
• UNHCR CanadanotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNHCR Canada participated in a Blakely webinar on planned giving strategy, sharing best practices in digital and mail engagement for legacy giving programs.
• Sunnybrook FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunnybrook Foundation collaborated on a donor affinity webinar, demonstrating how affinity-driven segmentation powers high-value donor programs.
• CAMH FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAMH Foundation partnered on a donor affinity webinar, sharing how they leverage affinity insights for brand-level strategies and donor conversion.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• M+R: M+R is a leading US-based nonprofit fundraising and marketing agency offering integrated direct response, digital, and advocacy services to charities — directly competing with Blakely in donor acquisition, retention, and multi-channel campaigns.
• BWF (Bentz Whaley Flessner): BWF is a US fundraising consulting firm specializing in major gifts, planned giving, and campaign strategy for nonprofits — a direct peer in strategic fundraising advisory and analytics.
• True Sense Marketing: True Sense Marketing is a US direct response fundraising agency serving charities across acquisition, retention, and lapsed donor reactivation — a comparable integrated fundraising services peer.
• Donor Voice: Donor Voice specializes in donor research, insights, and analytics for nonprofits — directly analogous to Blakely's proprietary Affinity Surveys and BENCH benchmarking offerings.
• Alexander Haas: Alexander Haas is a US fundraising and advancement consulting firm serving nonprofits and educational institutions — overlapping with Blakely in campaign counsel, planned giving, and donor strategy.
• The Lautman Group: The Lautman Group is a US fundraising consultancy focused on direct marketing, mid-level giving, and integrated campaigns for nonprofits — closely comparable to Blakely's core services around mid-level and integrated campaign work.
• Pursuant (formerly Russ Reid): Pursuant is a US nonprofit fundraising agency offering strategy, creative, and media services for charities — a direct competitor to Blakely in fundraising strategy and integrated campaign execution.

Others

• GivingTuesday: GivingTuesday is a global movement and resource hub for charitable giving that overlaps thematically with Blakely's thought leadership and donor behavior research, though it is not a direct consulting competitor.

Emerging players

• GoodUnited: GoodUnited is a fundraising tech and services firm focused on social media and conversational fundraising for nonprofits — adjacent to Blakely's digital fundraising and donor engagement services.
• DonorSearch: DonorSearch provides donor prospect research and wealth screening tools to nonprofits — adjacent to Blakely's Affinity Surveys in donor research but more software/SaaS oriented.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blakely-inc/?originalSubdomain=ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/blakelyinc
• Xtwitter.com/blakelyjourney

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blakely Fundraising