Schultz & Williams (S&W) announces Eastern State Penitentiary as its newest membership and multi-channel fundraising client.
Once the most famous and expensive prisons in the world, Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) was operational from 1829 until 1971. At its completion, the building was the largest public structure ever erected, and quickly became a model for more than 300 prisons worldwide. As the world’s first true “penitentiary,” ESP was the first to emphasize the principles of reform rather than punishment.
Notorious criminals such as Al Capone and bank robber Willie Sutton were held inside its innovative wagon wheel design. James Bruno (Big Joe) and several male relatives were incarcerated at Eastern State between 1936 and 1948 for the alleged murders in the Kelayres Pennsylvania Massacre of 1934.
Today, the prison is a National Historic Landmark open to the public seven days a week year-round. The site is one of Philadelphia’s most popular tourist destinations. As a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Eastern State Penitentiary has been raising needed funds over many years to restore the historic building and develop award-winning exhibits and programming that engages visitors with their mission to interpret contemporary American criminal justice reform.
Over the next several months, Schultz & Williams is assessing the Penitentiary’s current member and donor programs (levels, pricing, benefits, attributed organizational resources, etc.). S&W will conduct a site visit to assess the onsite membership promotion and sales procedures and will interview key staff to understand the organizational structure and processes supporting the current member and donor programs.
In addition, S&W will conduct a comprehensive member and donor file analysis and benchmarking surveys to more fully understand the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of ESP’s programs.
The results of this thorough assessment will inform customized multi-channel direct response donor and membership plans, including multi-year expense and revenue projections, designed to achieve growth and stability for the Penitentiary. The success of these two programs is essential for generating critical revenue to support ongoing improvements and expand public educational opportunities at Eastern State.
