Sorry it has been a while since we shared our last “FUNDRAISING DOs & DON’Ts” post. So we felt it may be appropriate to reintroduce this feature with a quick and easy message for you.
The focus of today’s installation revolves around the relative importance of a pair of metrics that we tend to monitor when executing funding campaigns. One is an extraordinarily common variable that perhaps gets tracked too closely, while the other unequivocally demands more of our attention.
DON’T base the success or strength of your fundraising campaign on simply reaching or surpassing your dollar target. Whether or not we raise all the money we originally planned is far and way the most overhyped key performance indicator used to gauge campaign success. That is not to suggest that hitting our target isn’t important. Yet how we reached our financial goal is frequently ignored.
Perhaps a single benefactor unexpectedly contributed a huge gift that left us with a small balance to raise. A large grant application we initially believed was a long shot was surprisingly approved meaning we had to generate a significantly smaller amount than we thought at first. Possibly a bequest gift was realized.
The truth is there are a plethora of factors beyond our control that can positively determine the outcome of a funding campaign. Successful campaigns are not always the result of hard work and widespread generosity. Sometimes it’s simply luck.
What’s so dangerous about these instances are when charities develop a false sense of achievement. Organizations that are overconfident in their fundraising abilities often become ambivalent about launching future campaigns which threatens their long-term sustainability. In the end, be sure to understand and acknowledge all factors that lead to your campaign’s success.
DO focus on increasing the number of donors who contribute to each campaign. A far more relevant metric used to measure the true success of a campaign is how many donors – especially new donors – who made a gift.
A steady stream of donors who commit small and intermediate gifts is a sign that a charity is devoting considerable time and energy to cultivating and managing relationships with its supporters. Welcoming new donors to the organization feeds its base of support and safeguards its sustainability.
An undeniable fact is an organization cannot attract a substantial number of new donors without investing large sums of sweat equity. Fundraising is hard work and building a passionate and committed donor base also forces a charity’s board, staff and volunteers to come together as a team.
Instead of merely setting a dollar target the next time your non-profit organizes a funding campaign, make the primary objective to recruit a certain number of new donors. Achieving it will leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the campaign was a genuine success and that your organization is blessed with a great deal of team chemistry.
