Whether your organization currently plans one campaign a year or many, Bonterra’s software and services can improve your fundraising results. This guide will help you better understand the basics of campaigns and provide the insight and tools you need for success!
What is a Fundraising Campaign?
Generally speaking, a "fundraising campaign" is a fundraising initiative with either a specific time or monetary goal. There are many types of campaigns, from multi-year capital campaigns to single day efforts! Here are some common fundraising campaigns:
Annual campaign: Sometimes called an annual appeal, this campaign raises funds during a specific period of time, often mid-November through the end of the year or in the spring. Every nonprofit should have a year-end campaign as 30% of giving happens in the month of December! This campaign can be kicked off with Giving Tuesday or stand on its own.
Peer-to-peer campaign: This type of campaign involves a group of people fundraising individually on behalf of the organization. Your donor management software (DMS) allows you to create a campaign online and give individual fundraisers the chance to create their own unique pages.
Capital campaign: This type of campaign aims to raise funds for a specific tangible thing, like a new building, a piece of land, or a new program initiative. The goal is usually monetary, and the timeline can be variable.
Everyday giving campaign: This campaign is unique as it may not have a time or monetary goal. It is the campaign to support your operations that is available for donors every day of the year. It is the case for supporting your mission and impact overall.
What Do Successful Fundraising Campaigns Have in Common?
Amidst the wide range of fundraising campaigns, there are a few things that successful fundraising campaigns usually have:
A problem that needs solving
An opportunity for donors to be part of the solution
A strong case for support
Engaging stories
A sense of urgency
Cohesive messaging across multiple communication channels
Matching gift opportunities
Engaging communication is key to campaign success
Telling the story of need through a variety of communication channels, and at the right time, is critical to any campaign. Here are some key communication tools to ensure a success:
Case for support
Before you can tell the story of your campaign, you need to agree internally on what you are raising money for! A case for support defines the problem, the solution, and the impact it will have. This document is important both internally and externally, and gets everyone on the same page regarding the purpose of your campaign.
Website
Create a giving page specific to your campaign. This landing page should briefly tell your donors how they can make a difference and give them an easy way to give. Consider creating a pop-up that reminds all website visitors about the campaign.
Direct mail
Paper letters are still incredibly effective fundraising tools! Send your appeal to as many people on your list as possible – not just past donors. Include a reply card and a return envelope.
Email outreach
After sending your direct mail appeal, follow up with 5-10 emails that reiterate the core message of your campaign and remind donors that you need them.
Text
Group text messages can be sent out right from your DMS and are a great way to ensure recipients will see your message. Make them short and include the URL for your giving page.
Social media
Post your campaign message, and your need for urgent support, on your socials – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Consider posting a video from your Executive Director, or someone helped by your nonprofit, to make it more personal.
Progress reports
Consider creating a newsletter for donors to share progress updates and let them know how their gift is, or will, make a difference. Include a success story!
Individual meetings
Don’t forget about the importance of relationships in all kinds of giving. During your campaign, identify your top prospects and reach out to them by email and phone to personally invite them to a meeting – in person, by zoom, or phone.
Videos
Research shows that people prefer watching videos to reading text. Create a few short videos that speak directly to your prospective supporters and send them through the communication channels above.
Acknowledgements
Thanking donors is essential! Set up templates for automatic acknowledgements, and also make a plan for personal thank you’s to top donors. Thank you calls are also a great way to get your board involved!
How Do I Get Started?
To get started, work with your team to answer these questions:
What is the goal of your campaign? Do you have a financial goal, or an awareness goal measured by how many people give? Are you raising unrestricted funds or is there a capital need? What is your story around this need? Is this goal achievable?
What is your timeframe? Is there a deadline by which you need to raise the campaign funds? When will you ask your top prospects and when will you go public?
Who is your audience? Who will you ask to contribute to this campaign? Do you have enough contacts in your DMS to make this campaign a success, or do you need to look for more prospects? Will you be reaching out to potential major donors in a different way?
Who is on your campaign team? Who will be responsible for making it all happen? Identify who will keep track of the timeline, manage the donor list, create the materials, send acknowledgements, etc. Is this staff led or are board members involved?
What is your communication plan? Will you be using mail, email, social media, texting, videos, and how and when? Put together a communications plan to outline your outreach strategy.
What is your wrap-up plan? How will you acknowledge donors? And how will you assess the success of this campaign?
Whether it’s a large capital campaign, or a straightforward end-of-year campaign, having a clear goal and case for support will be the base of your communications. Tell people the problem, and how they can be part of the solution, and you will be amazed at who steps up to help you reach your goals!