Campaign Best Practices

Use campaigns to define clear fundraising goals and measure overall success. A well-structured campaign helps you focus efforts, align teams, and evaluate outcomes.

Define a Clear Purpose

Create campaigns that reflect distinct fundraising objectives, such as operating support, capital projects, or endowments. A clear purpose helps you:

• Communicate goals to stakeholders

• Align fundraising activities

• Measure progress accurately

Assign Ownership to Drive Performance

Assign fundraisers to each campaign to encourage accountability and consistent outreach.

• Define ownership for each campaign

• Encourage active solicitation of gifts

• Support efforts with peer-to-peer fundraising when appropriate

Clear ownership helps maintain momentum and improves results.

Set Realistic and Measurable Goals

Establish goal amounts to track progress and motivate fundraisers.

• Set achievable targets based on donor capacity and historical performance

• Review progress regularly and adjust goals when needed

• Use tools such as a gift range calculator to estimate the number and size of gifts required

Realistic goals support accurate forecasting and better decision-making.

Align Campaigns to Donor Interests

Design campaigns based on what motivates your donors.

• Research donor interests and giving history

• Identify causes that resonate with your audience

• Adjust campaign focus or messaging to reflect these insights

Alignment between campaigns and donor priorities increases engagement and giving.

Evaluate Performance Continuously

Monitor campaign performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Track progress toward goals

• Analyze giving trends

• Adjust strategy based on performance insights

Ongoing evaluation helps improve outcomes over time.