Robin Allen LaPlante

Empowering non-profits with data-informed communications and fundraising strategies in pandemic-era and post-pandemic conditions. Leading operations in fundraising, digital performance production, integrated marketing communications, development operations, content creation, ticket sales, and event management.

Fractional Marketing & Communications Services

• Vermont Youth Orchestra Association: Leading marketing communications program – developing marketing plans, executing outreach, securing advertising, & creating collateral for all programs, including live & virtual concerts, small ensemble programs, summer camps, & auditions.

  • Strategizing new tactics to reach new audiences, developing audience pipelines through early childhood education programs and performances that reach diverse Vermont communities.

  • Facilitating board workshops, constituent town halls, and participant focus groups to define market position and refine brand voice & visual identity.

  • Developing online crowdfunding fundraiser to close the gap during end of fiscal year campaign, raising nearly $12,000 in one month.

• Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras: Providing interim marketing and communications management in 2023, developing a comprehensive annual communications plan and launching an email newsletter that received over 50% opens and nearly 10% click-through.

• Lexington Symphony (Massachusetts): Developing, configuring, & executing virtual subscription season in two weeks from idea to sales launch. Developing & launching first post-pandemic subscription season.

• Vermont Symphony Orchestra: promoting live-streamed season, leveraging email, social media, direct mail, and advertising to retain 20% of annual revenues and 10K attendees.

Fundraising/Development Operations

• Theater in the Open: providing fundraising and marketing leadership for outdoor theater and education company.

  • Researching, and implementing first-ever organizational database in Little Green Light. Overseeing configuration and import, developing online donation forms, and training staff.

  • Achieving over 95% capacity in ticket sales for yearly holiday Pantomime.

  • Overseeing Giving Tuesday campaign that raised over $11,000 in 24 hours and developing comprehensive end of year appeal in 2023 to reach over 1000 patrons.

• Circus Smirkus: Recruited for contractor engagement in May 2021 to manage $1.2MM development operations via donor and ticketing CRM.

  • Planning & executing record-breaking revenue campaign in FY22, raising over $620K, including a 6-week scholarship campaign that raised $70K.

  • Writing proposals for grants and sponsorships, achieving over $212,000 in new funding.

  • Rewriting fundraising database to match financial account list, streamlining and speeding up monthly reconciliation by 80%.

  • Producing tour ticketing interface for the first time for the staff. Developing the CRM system for sales and front of house management.

• Upper Valley Humane Society: Organizing grant calendar, advising on proposals, gathering budgets and supplemental materials, & writing/submitting grants.

Database Clean-up and Management

• Front Porch Arts Collective: Provided emergency import services to match third-party data with database records, deduplicating and importing over 10,000 records in one week

• Friends of Mascoma: Reconciled third party database with financial management platform to support bookkeeping processes.

• Emily’s Entourage: Providing database services, managing all import and maintenance for Cystic Fibrosis research funding organization, utilizing Bloomerang, Classy, Facebook fundraising tools, Survey Monkey and more.

Implementing Salesforce PatronManager CRM for marketing & sales, managing data and architecture to improve executive engagement and revenue accountability

• Strategically segmenting 11K subscriber list to increase open rate from 12 to 22% and click through rates from 1 to 4% and achieve 60% contributed revenue

• Developing style guide and consistent messaging for 50K public, donor, artist, and internal audience members while creating increasing BCA media coverage

  • Creating content and producing institutional brochure, vision and positioning statements, capabilities brochure, annual report, facility rental brochure,  

• Marketing program initiatives, including 1st commissioned art in recent organization history, Know No. by Masary Studios

• Targeting and realizing 30% marginalized community participation

• Producing and distributing video content, including modern and contemporary interdisciplinary performances, dance and visual art, artist residency programs

• Supervising Marketing Manager, 2 interns, 8 videographers / photographers

Promoting, assistant-producing, and managing station feeds of National Public Radio (NPR) show featuring young, classically trained musicians

• Managing on-site production in halls nationwide, including artist handling, show prep, and marketing plans for 18 cities annually

  • Maximizing capacity with segmented email communications, NPR advertising, online marketing, including $20K Spotify campaign

• Launching YouTube channel, tripling audience to 3MM engagements

• Achieving Strings Magazine’s “Top Classical Music Cover” with over 10MM views

• Managing ticketing and database administration for 2 sold-out Boston shows every year with 1000 attendees

• Piloting integrated Facebook, increasing content and engagement to increase followers 60% and recruitment applications 35%

• Engaging technology and video production to facilitate artist storytelling

• Supervising Graphic Designer, Video Editor, Marketing & Communications Manager, in addition to mentoring interns and developing individual work plans to fulfill internship requirements and instill new skills