Fundraising Lessons from 50 States in 50 Days Campaign
Over the past 50 days, millions of people followed Gen Z content creators Ryan Trahan and Haley Pham on an ambitious journey: visiting all 50 states in 50 days to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. What began as a creative road trip quickly turned into one of the most talked about fundraising campaigns of the year.
Starting with a $1 million goal, the effort closed with more than $11 million raised and counting. Along the way, it became something much bigger than a road trip: part reality show, part generosity experiment, and a case study that nonprofit professionals everywhere are now studying.
This campaign showed what is possible when a compelling story intersects with community, creativity, and modern fundraising tools. Whether your organization has a budget of $100K, or $1.7 billion, like St. Jude's, there are lessons here for you.
In this article, we'll walk through the things that made this campaign wildly successful. At the end of each section, I'll share a suggestion for how you might apply those lessons on a smaller scale.
Ryan and Haley Celebrating $2M Raised by Day 20 of Their Campaign
Influencers and Reach
This campaign is a masterclass in how a powerful mission paired with the right messenger can cut through the noise. Ryan and Haley’s authentic, approachable style transformed a massive audience into a community of active supporters.
Borrowed trust built momentum: Ryan did not just ask people to give, he invited them to join the journey. His pledge to donate one cent per new subscriber on YouTube, Instagram, and Joyride connected digital engagement directly to real-world impact.
Other creators expanded the reach: Big names like Mark Rober, Dhar Mann, and MrBeast joined in with $50,000 gifts and amplified the effort to entirely new audiences.
The messenger made the mission matter: Ryan and Haley’s mix of vulnerability, humor, and consistency built trust over time and reminded us that who delivers the message matters just as much as the message itself.
You could try:
Look at who already follows or engages with your organization on social media. Identify 5–10 people who are enthusiastic about your work and have larger or niche followings. Reach out with a personal note asking if they would be open to sharing a campaign, posting about an event, or even creating a short video about why they care. You don’t need celebrities. Micro‑influencers with 1,000–10,000 engaged followers can make a big difference.
Gamification and Tech
St. Jude’s, Ryan, and Haley did more than make it easy to give, they made it fun. This campaign blended tech tools with playfulness to create an experience donors wanted to return to.
Tiltify’s platform drove interaction: The interface was clean, intuitive, and loaded with real-time features: an interactive U.S. map, embedded videos, and live polls that encouraged repeat visits.
Gamified incentives kept things exciting: $100,000 unlocked the “Wheel of Doom,” $150,000 triggered a “Beard Bounty,” $5,000 earned a verbal thank-you on camera. Each milestone added energy and urgency.
Live metrics fueled momentum: A refreshable thermometer, public leaderboard, and top donor list made giving visible and created community around progress.
Multiple giving options increased accessibility: Credit card, employer match, and donor-advised fund options were easy to find on the campaign page, removing friction for donors ready to give.
Room for future growth: Highlighting options for stock gifts, IRA distributions, or charitable gift annuities on the main page could have opened the door for even more support.
You could try:
Review the tools you already use (CRM, peer‑to‑peer platforms, donation forms) and ask your provider what new features could help make giving more interactive. If you don’t have these tools, research platforms that allow you to build campaign pages with progress bars, polls, or milestones. Start small: for example, create a campaign thermometer that updates in real time or offer a fun incentive when your community reaches a goal.
Stewardship, Gratitude, and Positivity
From the start, gratitude was woven into every part of this campaign. Ryan, Haley, and the St. Jude’s team did more than thank donors. They made them feel like the heroes in the story.
Donors were acknowledged in real time: Names and messages from donors giving $5,000 or more were read at the end of each video, often within 24 hours. This created a sense of immediacy and appreciation.
Messages told stories, not just amounts: Many donors shared personal notes about their connection to St. Jude’s, reinforcing that this campaign was about people first and dollars second.
Gratitude bookended the journey: Each video opened with a cheerful “Good morning!” and closed with “Good night,” keeping the tone human and heartfelt from beginning to end.
Joy was consistent, not performative: Even on difficult travel days, the videos radiated genuine positivity, proving that enthusiasm and authenticity can be more powerful than any script.
You could try:
Record a short 30‑second thank‑you video after your next campaign milestone, calling out donors by name or mentioning the impact of their support. For major donors or long‑time supporters, a handwritten note can go a long way. Consider asking a board member or program participant to deliver the message so it feels personal and heartfelt. A little creativity in how you express gratitude can be more memorable than a standard receipt email.
Corporate Partnerships
Corporate sponsors played a supporting role, and that is exactly why it worked. Their presence amplified the campaign without ever overpowering it.
Mission-aligned partners added fuel: Kia provided travel support, and Lectric Bikes donated $10,000 for every day Ryan rode their e-bike, turning their products into mission-forward assets.
Infrastructure support mattered: YouTube quietly covered all transaction fees. This behind-the-scenes generosity ensured that more donor dollars went directly to St. Jude’s.
Integration felt authentic: These partnerships never distracted from the message. They became part of the journey in ways that felt seamless and story-driven.
You could try:
Make a list of 10–15 companies that naturally align with your mission, values, or audience. Instead of leading with a sponsorship package, approach them with a specific way to get involved that feels authentic, whether that’s donating a product, having their employees volunteer, hosting an event, or matching gifts during a campaign. When the collaboration is story‑driven rather than transactional, it benefits both the nonprofit and the partner.
Big-Picture Strategy
At its core, this campaign was a strategic masterpiece. It offered a new model for how nonprofits can activate community, build urgency, and keep donors engaged from beginning to end.
Stretch goals kept supporters engaged: The campaign started at $1 million, but as milestones were reached, new targets were set, each one creating a new chapter in the story.
Urgency was natural, not manufactured: The 50-day timeline created a built-in sense of momentum. There was no need for artificial deadlines or gimmicks.
Young donors rose to the occasion: Many Gen Z and Gen Alpha supporters launched peer-to-peer fundraisers. At the same time, several family foundations gave at the four and five-figure levels, suggesting intergenerational influence.
Immediacy led to repeat giving: Donors gave multiple times because they felt connected in real time. The fast stewardship loop proved that quick, thoughtful follow-up can unlock sustained generosity.
You could try:
In your next campaign, set a clear initial goal, but be ready with stretch goals if you surpass it. Create a simple timeline with natural milestones that you can share publicly to keep momentum going. And whenever possible, invite families to participate together, whether through peer‑to‑peer fundraising pages, hosting small cultivation events at donors’ homes, or involving younger generations in thank‑you calls. Engagement across generations builds stronger, longer‑lasting relationships.
Conclusion
This campaign was not just about the miles. It was about how generosity spreads when storytelling, connection, and innovation collide. St. Jude’s and Ryan and Haley provided a blueprint for what is possible when nonprofits prioritize engagement over extraction, and make the experience fun for everyone following along.
The most important takeaway? You don’t need 20 million subscribers to borrow these ideas. Throughout this article, I’ve shared a few simple ways you could try applying these lessons on a smaller scale: collaborating with people who already believe in your mission, adding playful elements to your campaigns, showing gratitude in ways that feel personal, seeking authentic partnerships, and thinking bigger about how you engage families across generations.
We'll be in the year-end appeal season before you know it. Why not embrace a little bit of the spirit of Ryan and Haley's summer road trip to surprise and delight your donors?