Our Work

Here's what we've built
for teams like yours.

Real clients. Real results. No vague case studies — just the work, the strategy, and the numbers that came from it.

Results at a Glance

The numbers
don't need context.

Nonprofit
Fundraising Appeal
Catholic Newman Center — year-end giving campaign
$33k → $120k
raised in a single appeal cycle
same donor list. messaging was the only variable.
"We'd been raising the same amount for years. The Crux rewrote our appeal and we nearly quadrupled it."
Nonprofit
Website Redesign
Faith-based organization — brand and messaging overhaul
Unclear → 5 days
from scattered messaging to a brand voice
that finally matched what they actually did.
"We finally had a brand that matched who we actually are."
For-Profit
Email Campaign
Small business — year-end customer reactivation
12% → 340%
open rate lift on a single campaign
clearer subject lines. sharper offer. better timing.
"Having strategy and execution under one roof saved us time, money, and a lot of frustration."
Nonprofit Faith-Based Website Redesign Brand Sprint

Catholic Newman Center —
from scattered to sharp.

A campus ministry serving hundreds of college students had a website that looked nothing like the community they actually were. Messaging was all over the place. The visual identity felt generic. Students weren't engaging, and donors weren't converting. We fixed all of it in five days.

5 days
from first call to new brand voice
1 team
strategy and execution, no juggling
New
messaging framework, tone guide, visual direction
After — University Catholic Center giving site redesign
Before — University Catholic Center donation page
After Before

Drag the slider to compare. University Catholic Center — giving site redesign.

What We Did

Messaging framework Brand voice guide Website copy Visual identity direction Core positioning statement

What They Said

"We finally had a brand that matched who we actually are. The messaging sprint alone changed how we talk about ourselves — to students, to donors, to everyone."
Newman Center Director
Nonprofit Fundraising Direct Mail Email Campaigns

Year-end appeal —
$33k became $120k.

A faith-based nonprofit had been running the same year-end appeal for years. Good cause. Dedicated donors. But the messaging was vague, the ask was buried, and the donor never felt urgency. We rebuilt the appeal from scratch. Same list. Same donors. One cycle later — nearly four times the revenue.

$33k
raised before working with us
$120k
raised after one appeal cycle with us
Same list
no new donors — messaging was the only variable
$33,000
Raised annually before
Before
$120,000
Raised — same donor list
After
Before After

Drag the slider to compare before and after. Real appeal screenshots coming soon.

What We Did

Appeal copywriting Donor segmentation Direct mail piece Email sequence Urgency strategy Ask ladder structure

What They Said

"We'd been raising the same amount for years. The Crux rewrote our appeal and we nearly quadrupled it. Same donors. Same list. It was all in how we told the story."
Executive Director, Faith-Based Nonprofit
Faith-Based Brand Identity Visual Design

Verax Patria —
a brand built to endure.

Verax Patria came to us with a mission that demanded more than a logo. They needed an identity that felt historic, serious, and alive — something that would hold up in print, on screen, and in the hands of major donors. We built it from scratch.

Full
brand identity system — logo, type, color, usage
0 → 1
built from nothing to a complete visual language
Print
ready for donor collateral and major gifts use
Before — Verax Patria brand
After — Verax Patria brand redesign
After Before

Drag the slider to compare. Verax Patria — full brand identity.

What We Did

Logo design Brand identity system Typography selection Color palette Usage guidelines Donor collateral

What They Said

"The Crux gave us a brand we're proud to put in front of donors. It looks like us — serious, grounded, Catholic. We get compliments on it constantly."
Verax Patria
Nonprofit Major Gifts Case for Support

A case for support that
actually makes the case.

Most cases for support read like annual reports. Dense. Vague. Full of stats that don't move anyone. We've built them for faith-based organizations and nonprofits across the country — and every one is built around one thing: the donor. Their role, their impact, their legacy. The result is a document your major gifts officer is proud to hand across the table.

1 doc
that anchors your entire major gifts program
Story
first — data supports, never leads
Print ready
designed to sit beautifully on a desk
Case for Support — Verax Patria
Case for Support Verax Patria
Case for Support — Catholic Land Movement
Case for Support Catholic Land Movement
Print Collateral — Catholic Land Movement
Print Collateral Catholic Land Movement

Real client work. Designs are the property of their respective organizations.

What We Build

Narrative copywriting Gift impact levels Print design Digital PDF version Major gifts messaging guide

Why It Matters

"Donors don't give to vague. They give to clear. When your case for support tells them exactly what their gift does, the ask becomes a gift to them — not a burden."
The Crux Marketing
Your Turn

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