CIE

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) was at a pivotal point for growth since inception in 2010.

The CIE was needing strategic support, design and development on a fundraising campaign that will define the future of the CIE and its programming. In order for the CIE to continue providing Cal Poly students and local entrepreneurs with the education, resources, networks, tools and space to innovate, problem solve and ultimately change the world, the CIE needed a cohesive fundraising campaign to help garner financial support from major donors.

The primary goal for this project was to create a campaign identity and experience for The CIE that connected emotionally and rationally with people who have a passion and desire for supporting entrepreneurship and Cal Poly’s ‘Learn by Doing’ philosophy – resulting in $10.5 million in donations by 2021.

Matchfire’s team tackled this project through a series of discovery, research and input from key CIE stakeholders and then launched into campaign development once a foundational understanding was set. Matchfire developed a campaign that naturally created an intersection of relevance, resonance and advocacy – It Takes More. This campaign was brought to life as a microsite that provoked emotion and thought to guide the user to take action and make a donation. The microsite educated potential donors on the CIE’s programming, curriculum, success stories and the critical need for program funding.