The GiveMN Guide to Mastering Fundraising Campaigns

© 2020 GiveMN, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more at GiveMN.org.

The GiveMN Guide to

Mastering Fundraising CampaignsVersion 3.0

Ignite Generosity Grow Giving


In This GuideCongratulations! You’re about to build a compelling, impact-based fundraising campaign that focuses on the unique needs

of your organization. This guide, together with a series of recorded training videos on GiveMN.org, will help you feel more

confident about your campaign, see your fundraising from a new perspective, and help you raise more money.

If you find yourself needing help with your fundraising campaign strategy or your GiveMN.org page, the GiveMN Help Team

is available through [email protected]. We’re here to support your success!

Table of ContentsDevelop Your Why . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3

Build a Story with an Answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4

Build a Call to Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5

Set a Campaign Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6

Consider a Matching Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7

Identify Your Core Campaign Supporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8

Build Your Fundraising Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 9

Prepare Your Communication Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10

Make a Donor Appreciation & Engagement Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11

Sketch Out Your Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 12

Take Care of Yourself and Your Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13


Think about the intention behind your campaign. Before jumping to the “how,” spend a few minutes thinking about the “why.”

This is your space to identify how this campaign will align with your organization’s identity.

Your Organization’s Mission:

Why is your organization the best organization to address this challenge?

Your Sweet Spot!

How will this campaign respond to both your organization’s challenges and your donors’ motivations?

If there’s a gap, how will you meet your donors where they are?

Develop Your Why

What

challenge is your organizati on facing?

What moti vates your donors?


Once you’ve identified the critical need for your campaign and how it aligns with donor motivation, determine the answer

your organization will use to meet the critical need. Describe specific ideas for how you’re going to address the issue facing

your community and how donors will play a vital role in the making your organization’s answer possible.

2 Why is it urgently important that your organization and donor address this challenge?Example: Kids who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to get better grades in school, have lower rates of absenteeism, and experience

better emotional health.

1 What is the specific challenge, obstacle, or problem your campaign is addressing?Example: Every day, dozens of Whoville kids start their day without a meal, jeopardizing not only their health but their ability to learn. To

make matters worse, hardworking students like Sam are bullied for eating a free breakfast at school.

Build a Story with an Answer

3 What solution is your organization providing for this challenge?Example: That’s where Whoville Nutrition volunteers come in. Every week, they leave backpacks full of healthy breakfast food in the

lockers of Whoville Middle School students in need. These backpacks ensure kids like Sam have the nutritious food they need to help them succeed in school.

4 Who is a key storyteller for this campaign? How does their story make the reader feel compelled to act?Example: “As their homeroom teacher, I’ve noticed that since Sam has started receiving their breakfast backpacks, they’ve become much

more engaged with the material they’re learning and their classmates. If only you could see for yourself the grateful twinkle in their eye when they get their weekly backpack!”


Now that you’ve built a story about a unique and urgent challenge, it’s time to ask donors to join you in that opportunity.

Who

Who exactly are you talking to? Your entire donor list? Lapsed donors? Monthly givers?

What

What specifically are you asking your audience to do? Donate? Fundraise from their peers?

Where

Where are you directing donors to take the action you’ve inspired?

When

When is the best day or time for donors to take action?

How Much

What amount of money are you asking for from your donors?

Why That Amount

Why are you asking donors to give this amount? How will a gift of this amount contribute to the solution in your story?

Build a Call to Action

??

$$ ♥♥


Think of setting your campaign goal like buying a car.

Maybe this is the car you know you can afford:

So how can you compromise and get an achievable car like this?

Set a Campaign Goal

But this is the car your board of directors wants you to get:

Getting to Your Achievable GoalLet’s say you need $3,000 to fund your program for the year. Last year, you raised $1,500 during Give to the Max. A goal of

$5,000 for this year’s giving day probably isn’t reasonable. Based on your past success, perhaps $1,750 or $2,000 is a good

goal. Whatever you choose, try to select a goal that you think you can reasonably achieve and tells a story. Picking a random

number out of the blue won’t be as helpful!

What amount of money do you need in order to (at minimum) meet your budget?

How have your previous campaigns performed? How much did you raise?

What do you consider a realistic aspiration?


Is a Matching Gift Right for Your Campaign?Check the items below that describe your campaign.

❒ The organization has previously utilized a matching gift successfully during a campaign.

❒ We already have a relationship with an individual, foundation, or company that is willing to provide matching

funds.

❒ Our board is willing to provide matching funds.

❒ We might have a relationship with an individual, foundation, or company that would be willing to provide

matching funds.

❒ Our fundraising team has the capacity to steward a major donor(s) after giving a matching gift.

❒ Our fundraising team has the capacity to communicate the matching opportunity with our donor audience during

this campaign with urgency, consistency, and a compelling story.

If you checked two or more boxes, then a matching gift might be a great tool for your campaign!If you did not check at least two boxes, that doesn’t mean that a matching gift isn’t the right strategy for you. Be sure to evaluate how much time you have before your campaign and how much capacity you have to solicit matching funds ahead of time.

Two Big Questions for a Matching Gift Request

Hot Tip!If you don’t have one major donor that can provide a matching gift, think about asking multiple engaged donors to contribute

to a match together. Make sure you walk them through how their support will be amplified as part of a match!

Consider a Matching Gift

Who

Who will you ask to fund your matching gift pool?

How Much

What is the ideal size of the matching fund and how will it be timed and messaged?$$


Identify Your Core Campaign SupportersYou might have major donors you know really well, new donors you’re still getting to know, and loyal donors you see at

events every year. Identifying which supporters are going to be the most engaged with your campaign is key to success.

1 Gold ProspectsGold prospects are people who already contribute and generously support your mission. Board members are gold prospects!

Starthere!

2 Silver ProspectsSilver prospects support your work, but need more connection to see how their donations make a difference.

3 Bronze ProspectsBronze prospects may or may not support your organization right now or may never have donated to your cause. These are prospective donors that you do not know or to whom you don’t have a strong connection.


Build Your Fundraising TeamHelping others feel empowered to raise money for your cause can significantly increase your reach into your community.

Who can you ask to help raise support for your campaign?

Ideas ❒ Use peer-to-peer fundraising tools to help your donor champions tell their stories and raise money for your cause.

Just tap the Fundraise button next to Donate on your GiveMN.org page!

❒ Tribute Gifts: Ask people to make a donation in honor or in memory of someone important to them.

❒ Bring people together to volunteer and encourage volunteers to ask their friends and family to support the organization.

Hot Tip!Just because a walk-a-thon works for one organization doesn’t mean it’s right for you! Think about the unique interests of

your donors and how those relate to your organization’s mission. You don’t have to follow traditional peer-to-peer ideas!

❒ Board members

❒ Organization staff (other than development staff) ❒ Volunteers

❒ Donors

Board Members

Board members are one of the most important advocates for an organization. For a successful campaign, they should:

❒ Donate to the campaign

❒ Share a link to donate with their friends and family

❒ Call donors, asking them to make a contribution and/or call donors to thank them for their gift

What actions will you ask your board members to take?

What resources do your board members need to be successful?


Now you have an urgent and compelling campaign planned. Now it’s time to think about how to best engage your audiences.

You know them best. Select stories, tone, language, and visuals that will resonate with them in a unique way.

Hot Tips!If you are working with a communications professional to manage your organization’s social media, be sure to include them in

your planning. They’ll have great content and connection ideas and help you plan realistic timelines. And don’t stop posting

your organization’s regular content! During a campaign, it’s still good to vary fundraising asks with other mission moments like

relevant articles and asking your followers to engage in polls and sharing.

Don’t forget about the power of spending a small amount on social media advertising. Investing even $20 can dramatically

increase the reach of your best Facebook posts, including prospective donors that don’t yet follow your organization!

Prepare Your Communication Plan

Which communication channels are the most successful with your donor audience?How do your donors most like to engage with your organization? (Check as many as you can!)

❒ Email

❒ Facebook

❒ Twitter

❒ Instagram

❒ Phone or video calls

❒ Postal mail letters

❒ Handwritten notes or postcards

❒ Virtual or in-person gatherings

❒ Text messages

❒ Recorded video messages

❒ Your organization’s website or blog

❒ Your organization’s GiveMN.org page

Of the options you checked above, rank the most impactful channels for your campaign?Put a 1 next to the most used or most impactful channel and continue through 12 for the least impactful communications strategy.

Ȫ Email

Ȫ Facebook

Ȫ Twitter

Ȫ Instagram

Ȫ Phone or video calls

Ȫ Postal mail letters

Ȫ Handwritten notes or postcards

Ȫ Virtual or in-person gatherings

Ȫ Text messages

Ȫ Recorded video messages

Ȫ Your organization’s website or blog

Ȫ Your organization’s GiveMN.org page

What resources do you need to effectively engage donors through the most impactful channels?

❒ Photos (and photo use consent)

❒ Quotes or Testimonials (and story use consent)

❒ Story and appeal copy for solicitations and thank yous

❒ Video content (and video and audio use consent)

❒ Organization logos or project graphics

❒ Images sized for email and social platforms using Canva

❒ Address, phone, and/or email lists from your database

❒ Trackable links to your GiveMN.org donation page


Will every donor be thanked and engaged in the same way?If not, use the space below to plan out how each group of donors will be appreciated and invited to stay involved.

Engage your donors to help engage more donors!

Asking board members and volunteers to write thank you notes or make connection calls is a great way to involve others in

your campaign and help them hear amazing stories from other donors.

Make a Donor Appreciation & Engagement PlanWhich methods will you use to celebrate and thank your donors? (Choose every feasible strategy!)

❒ Email

❒ Facebook

❒ Twitter

❒ Instagram

❒ Thank you call

❒ Thank you card or postcard

❒ Thank you letter

❒ Celebration video

Board Members & Their NetworksExample: The executive director will make personal calls.

Major Donors & Fundraising ChampionsExample: The executive director sends personal emails to

anyone giving and/or raising $500 or more.

All Other DonorsExample: In addition to automatic receipt emails via GiveMN.org,

every donor will get a hand-signed thank you postcard.

First Time Supports & New Social FollowersExample: Board members or staff will email, phone, or direct

message to learn their connection and motivation.


Your campaign has lots of moving pieces. Plan out the work of launching, maintaining, and following up on your campaign.

Two Months AheadComplete Workbook Pages 3 through 6

One Month AheadComplete Pages 7 through 11

Week Before Launch

During The Campaign

Immediate Follow Up

Sketch Out Your Timeline

Ongoing Engagement


You’ve told amazing stories and engaged lots of donors, hopefully raising much-needed resources for your organization. But

what is your strategy for celebrating these wins with your board, colleagues, and other internal stakeholders?

The stress of fundraising campaigns can easily burn fundraisers and leaders out, so it’s important to take care of yourselves

and check in with your colleagues. Make a plan for how you will celebrate your success and recharge for your next campaign.

What will you do to recharge and celebrate your hard work after you complete your campaign?

What will you do to check in with your colleagues and help them to celebrate their success?

What will you do to thank your board members and volunteers while sharing the news about your successes?

Self care doesn’t always mean going on vacation or taking a bubble bath (though those things can definitely be included!).

Here are a couple ideas for taking care of yourself and your team:

❒ Set the details of your campaign aside and immerse yourself in your organization’s mission. Be intentional

about reflecting on the difference your mission work is making for your community.

❒ Find a quiet place to take some deep breaths and reset your mind and body, or take a walk alone or with a friend.

❒ Make a list of things you’re proud of from your campaign and save them to refer to later.

Being mindful of your capacity is important to your well-being. It’s okay to ask for help to make your campaign a success!

❒ Communicate honestly and openly with your leaders and board members about your needs.

❒ Ask the GiveMN Help Team for support if you get stuck using the GiveMN.org fundraising tools.

❒ Connect with your peers at other organizations to get fresh perspective or creative ideas for your campaign.

❒ Visit the GiveMN Resources area for ideas, templates, checklists, tips and tricks, and examples.

❒ Reach out to the expert fundraising coaches at GiveMN for in-depth coaching and support for your fundraising goals.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Team

The GiveMN Guide to Mastering Fundraising Campaigns

Documents

Transcript of The GiveMN Guide to Mastering Fundraising Campaigns