Human Services
For over 40 years, Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation has made the outdoors accessible for people with disabilities. Based in Newry, Maine, the nonprofit offers year-round adaptive sports programs like skiing, snowboarding, cycling, paddling, indoor climbing, and more. With over 400 volunteers, they provide more than 3,500 free lessons each year to individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.
One of the key ways they fund these programs is through their annual Ski-A-Thon. Every March, skiers and snowboarders of all abilities gather at Sunday River Ski Resort to raise funds that support their mission. In 2025, for the event’s 37th year, Maine Adaptive set a goal of $300,000 and raised more than $317,000.
Finding the Right Fit with Neon CRM
Before switching to Neon One, managing donor data and event details was often a complicated and manual process. It was difficult to track when donors gave, how they gave, and what each person’s connection was to the organization. Like many small nonprofit teams, they needed a system that could give them structure and organize their data while still being simple enough to manage without a dedicated tech team.
When Maine Adaptive implemented Neon CRM, it immediately changed the way they approached donor management and communication. With reporting, segmentation, and email tools all in one place, the team was able to confidently handle campaigns and donor outreach themselves. Instead of struggling to pull information together from different places, they now had a single system that supported both their day-to-day work and their long-term fundraising strategy.
The shift also empowered the team to take a more proactive role in their fundraising operations. With a small team managing a growing organization, having a platform they could fully own made a meaningful difference in their capacity and confidence to execute campaigns.
A Better Experience for Ski-A-Thon with Neon Fundraise
While Neon CRM provided a solid foundation for donor management, the team saw even more opportunity to simplify and strengthen their biggest fundraiser: Ski-A-Thon. After running the event in Neon CRM for one year, they added Neon Fundraise to the mix. The difference was immediate.
Neon Fundraise made it easier for fundraisers to create their personal pages and share their stories. Each participant could customize their page to explain why they were involved and why the cause mattered to them. Those personal touches helped increase engagement while making the entire process far more user-friendly.
“Each team member could personalize theirs with stories and reasons for participating. That made a big difference. Also, it was just so easy. One fundraiser even came in thinking it was too simple and asked, ‘Am I doing this right?’ Turns out, he was!”
– Mary Scanlon, Communications Coordinator
On the staff side, having fewer support questions allowed the team to focus on communicating with fundraisers, sharing updates, and keeping everyone motivated. Automated emails and milestone reminders helped build momentum in the lead-up to event day, creating a stronger sense of connection throughout the campaign.
“The first time we used Neon Fundraise, we only got 20 calls from users. With other systems, we’d brace ourselves for floods of questions.”
– Mary Scanlon, Communications Coordinator
Focused on What Matters Most
With the technology running smoothly behind the scenes, the Maine Adaptive team could spend more time on strategy, personal outreach, and strengthening relationships with their supporters. Participation grew, energy on event day was high, and the campaign ultimately surpassed its fundraising goal.
Automated thank-yous and acknowledgement messages also helped fundraisers feel recognized and appreciated, reinforcing the sense of community that’s central to Maine Adaptive’s work.
Looking Ahead
After a successful Ski-A-Thon, Maine Adaptive is excited to build on this momentum. Neon CRM continues to support their year-round campaigns, while Neon Fundraise plays an important role in growing peer-to-peer fundraising events like Ski-A-Thon.
With the right tools in place, the team can stay focused on what matters most: bringing people outdoors, building confidence, and creating life-changing experiences for individuals of all abilities.
Take Your Fundraising to the Next Level
Ready to amplify your own impact? Explore the Neon One fundraising experience and discover how our integrated solutions can help you reach new heights. Take a tour here and see the difference for yourself.
