Industry: Nonprofit (hunger relief)
Role: Director of Marketing & Communications
Duration: 2014–2016
The Challenge
When Jesse joined Northwest Harvest, Washington’s largest food bank, the marketing function was fragmented. Each department had its own efforts, from fundraising to community engagement, but nothing connected them into a cohesive system. Donor acquisition costs were climbing, repeat donor growth was flat, and the brand wasn’t being fully leveraged across its statewide footprint.
Leadership brought Jesse in to integrate those disparate systems, elevate communications, and build a marketing engine that could support both fundraising and advocacy at scale, all in the face of tighter government funding, an emerging housing crisis, and growing community need.
The Approach
Rather than expanding headcount, Jesse focused on integration, modernization, and smarter use of existing tools.
Key moves:
- Integrated systems and teams: Connected fundraising, communications, advocacy, and program outreach into one cohesive pipeline. This ensured consistency of message and unlocked hidden opportunities to engage donors already in the system.
- Channel modernization: Expanded into digital channels like Instagram and SEO while still leveraging print and traditional media. This met the next generation of supporters where they were without alienating long-time donors.
- Strategic partnerships: Partnered with the Seattle Seahawks, local grocers, Washington banks, and media outlets to extend reach without overspending.
- 50th Anniversary Campaign: Turned a milestone into momentum. Led a statewide campaign that included fundraising events, extensive media coverage, and a message refresh. Instead of “panic giving” appeals, Northwest Harvest invited supporters to celebrate progress: a powerful reminder that positive stories can also drive donations.
- Brand refresh: Implemented a cost-effective visual update, extending to unexpected but high-visibility assets like distribution vans and trucks, helping spread the mission across the state.
- PR-to-marketing evolution: Elevated an impressive PR presence into a fully functioning marketing engine that could sustain donor growth.
The Results
By integrating teams and tightening systems, Northwest Harvest unlocked growth without ballooning overhead.
Key outcomes:
- 35% lower donor acquisition costs.
- More than 10% year-over-year growth in repeat donors.
- Increased statewide visibility through 50th anniversary events and earned media.
- Modernized channels that reached new, younger donor bases.
- Stronger brand presence across Washington, from digital campaigns to distribution fleets.
Lessons for Leaders
- Integration beats expansion: Before adding new headcount, connect what you already have.
- Tight budgets sharpen clarity: Nonprofits and startups alike succeed when systems eliminate waste.
- Positive stories inspire giving too: Fundraising doesn’t always need to be rooted in crisis. Celebration can motivate donors as powerfully as urgency.
- Mission and systems go hand-in-hand: Smart marketing systems aren’t abstract. They translate into real-world impact for communities.
Fractional CMO Relevance
Northwest Harvest demonstrates Jesse’s ability to build marketing engines under intense constraints. By integrating systems, refreshing brand presence, and aligning channels with strategy, he showed how to reduce costs and increase growth without major new investment. It’s the same mindset startups and SaaS founders need: clarity, integration, and trust in systems that scale.