Soapbox Engage Blog

What comes to mind when you read "annual giving campaign"? If you're thinking of a mass-mailing that an organization sends once or twice a year to everyone who ever provided their mailing address, then we'd like to invite you to buckle up, and join us for a ride.

Nonprofits used to rely heavily on just a few fundraising letters each year to raise enough money to cover the day-to-day costs of running the nonprofit. Today, successful annual giving campaigns are more robust and include a variety of fundraising tactics throughout the year.

There are many benefits to annual giving campaigns. Contributions to your annual campaign are considered "unrestricted funds" meaning your organization can use these funds to cover any expenses within your nonprofit. If done correctly, annual campaigns can help organizations develop stronger relationships with their current donors.

Before you get overwhelmed at the thought of fundraising all year for your annual budget, hear us out! This doesn't need to be an all-consuming thing. With the right organization, tools, and strategies, your nonprofit will be able to run a very effective annual giving campaign without running your staff ragged.

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Tools for a successful annual giving campaign

You've heard the saying, "A worker is only as good as his tools." The same is true in fundraising. Whether your annual campaign consists of one major event or multiple activities throughout the year, the right tools will make your campaign infinitely easier and more effective.

CRM system

We don't mean to beat a dead horse (as the saying goes), but your organization needs a CRM system. A high quality annual giving campaign is focused on the donor. Before you create your campaign you need a CRM system to keep up with your supporters. If you expect to have any regular communication with your donors (which you should), you need to keep their information organized in one location.

A CRM system will also help you keep track of when your supporters make contributions. This is especially valuable if you plan to incorporate a monthly giving program or any type of "membership" as part of your annual campaign.

Donor care plan

Do you have an effective donor care plan? What we mean is, do you already have systems in place to send regular thank-you notes, invite donors to non-fundraising events, call supporters consistently to show appreciation, meet people face-to-face, and other actions that build relationships with your donors?

Successful annual giving campaigns are built on a strong foundation of donor care. We know the value of excellent customer service in a business setting, but we often fail to transfer that knowledge to the nonprofit world and provide good donor care.

Just like poor customer service can result in a lost customer, failing to send a thank-you note or handle a complaint gracefully can result in lost donors. Before you start planning your annual campaign, spend some time ensuring you provide excellent donor care.

Online donation system

At the risk of being too obvious, any organization that wants to run an effective annual giving campaign needs to be able to process online donations. Younger generations are more likely to participate in online giving events, crowdfunding campaigns, and other fundraising efforts that require online donation.

If you're planning to have a monthly support option, most people expect to be able to set up an automatic draft. Even if you plan to send fundraising letters, it's good practice to include a way to give online. People prefer the convenience of having multiple giving options (and some eager donors might not even know where their checkbook is).

What makes an annual giving campaign successful?

Now that you have the right tools and systems in place, you're ready to start planning a successful annual giving campaign. There are three essential components of a successful campaign that an organization of any size can do.

1) Eye-catching fundraising appeals

Fundraising appeals are direct communications with your current and potential donors. They can come in a variety of forms, from email campaigns and print letters to phone calls and social media messages.

Many organizations send fundraising appeals several times throughout the year. The most common times are:

• Giving Tuesday
• Holiday season or at the end of the calendar year
• Mid-year (typically June or July)

Your fundraising appeals should contain helpful content about your mission, update people about what your organization is accomplishing, and outline your plans for future efforts. Keep your appeal letters concise and avoid statistics. Instead, tell a short story to engage your audience and educate them about what you do. Include photos whenever possible.

Try to personalize your letters to communicate how vital each donor is to the cause. Simple additions like your donor's name and when they last gave make a big impression, especially for people who give more significant amounts.

2) Engaging fundraising events

Long ago (in the 1900s and early 2000s), nonprofits could rely heavily on appeal letters for the bulk of their fundraising efforts. But, the fundraising landscape is changing. Many organizations are adding fundraising events to their annual giving campaigns.

Events are excellent additions to most annual giving campaigns. They don't have to be elaborate or expensive galas (unless that's your organization's jam). Come up with one or two different types of events that appeal to various levels of donors and fit your organization's "personality" and mission.

Don't be afraid to get resourceful, creative, and fun! Develop a fundraising event that gives your guests an enjoyable experience, educates them, and generate excitement around partnering with your nonprofit.

It's helpful to organize a planning committee for your fundraising events. Planning committees increase the quality of the event, allow you to mobilize talented volunteers and supporters, and reduce the risk of running your staff ragged.

3) Tangible results visible to donors

Millennials and younger donors are not often attached to specific organizations. Instead, they are motivated by particular causes. For this reason, younger donors want nonprofits to provide evidence that their support is making a difference in the world and impacting people's lives. Millennials and younger generations are interested in regular updates about your programs.

Some nonprofits might consider this part of donor care, and perhaps it is! Regardless of how your organization "categorizes" this, it's a vital piece of a successful annual giving campaign.

4) Immediate follow-up with donors

After your organization receives a donation (of any amount), immediately follow up with an acknowledgment and a thank-you. Whether you do this via a phone call, individual email, thank-you note, in-person meeting, or some other way, this is a critical next step! Your donors need to know that their financial contributions are meaningful, appreciated, and necessary to achieve your mission.

5) Creative naming beyond "annual giving campaign"

Your donors will yawn and lose interest if you use phrases like "annual fund" and "giving campaign." Plus, "annual giving" or "operating fund" sounds like a black hole that requires infinite sums of money without a real explanation.

You don't have to call your campaign anything at all! As long as you make a compelling case for your mission, your donors will eagerly partner, but coming up with a catchy title won't hurt either.

Are you ready to plan and execute your most successful annual fundraising campaign yet? The great news is that your organization can build on your efforts each year. You'll be able to increase your fundraising goals as you build strong relationships with your donors, expand your network, and hone your fund development skills.

Here are three more resources that will help you run your best annual giving campaign yet.

• 5 Easy Ways to Maximize Your Fundraising On Facebook: Surprisingly, social media can be an excellent asset for annual giving campaigns! This blog has some great tips to help you leverage Facebook for your fundraising advantage.
• How To Plan A Fundraising Event: The Complete Guide: Are you planning to host a fundraising event as part of your annual giving campaign? Here's a practical guide to help you and your staff organize and plan your best fundraising event yet!
• 5 Easy Steps To Create A Monthly Giving Program: Many nonprofits rely on robust monthly giving programs for a significant portion of their annual budget. Learn the advantages of having a monthly giving program and how to start one for your organization.