The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Five Years Later: What Happened After the Ice Melted?

In the summer of 2014, The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge dominated social media news feeds and raised over 100 million dollars for The ALS Association.  Five years later, The ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter’s Director of Development, Katie McGovern, and Director of Marketing and Communications, Sandra Sullivan, revisit the circumstances surrounding the “largest viral social media movement” the nonprofit sector has ever seen and share lessons learned about fundraising, donor retention, corporate partnerships, mission awareness and whether it’s possible to capture lightning in a bottle twice.
Did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge make a difference?  And, what can your organization learn from this viral campaign?
Sandra Sullivan, Director of Marketing and Communications, ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter, is a nonprofit communications professional with more than 15 years of experience driving marketing strategy and creating innovative campaigns to increase awareness and engagement. As the director of marketing and communications at The ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter since 2014, she is responsible for developing and implementing key marketing and communications initiatives, including the organization’s case for support, web marketing, brand awareness and social media engagement. 
Katie McGovern, Director of Development, ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter, is a nonprofit professional with 15 years’ experience in development, communications and volunteer and staff management. Katie currently serves as the Director of Development at the ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter and is responsible for overseeing and participating in all fundraising activity, and collaborating closely with a leadership team to enhance organization-wide initiatives.