mission Matters 3 Things to Remember about Successful Year End Fundraising November 20, 2014 How to set clear goals and target the right audience. As 2014 is nearing its end, nonprofits are gearing up for the year-end fundraising season. For many nonprofits, year-end fundraising is a huge initiative for their organization, and success is largely dependent on developing campaigns with focused goals and intentions. Crucial elements of year-end fundraising planning As the holiday season approaches, it is important to take note of crucial elements of year-end fundraising. Setting a clear path to success includes: Setting clear goals. Make sure your campaign has specific intentions. Do you want to add new donors, raise money for a specific project or program or do you want to reach a certain goal amount? Be sure to have a focused, plausible, and measurable end result in mind. Considering how busy December is, the goals should be concise, clearly outlined and persuasive. Set goals that pass the SMART test. Ensure that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timebound. Define your target audience. Decide exactly who you are trying to reach through your fundraising efforts. Determine if your current supporters can assist you in tackling your fundraising goals or reaching potential supporters. You want donors to support your organization as a whole, but adding a personal story to your campaign invites more support. Sharing a photo of the ultimate goals of your campaign is often the most effective way of attracting funds. (Make sure that potential supporters know that their support might not directly go towards the person or animal photographed.) The holiday season sparks a sense of giving in many people, so use that to your advantage when shaping your campaign. If you haven’t already, be sure to start thinking about reaching out to supporters and potential donors now. You want to reach donors when they are most likely to give and make it as easy as possible for them to do so. Think about putting a “Donate now” button on your website to increase efficiency and attract fast and easy donations. Questions? Contact any member of our Not-for-profit Team.
