8 Questions to Ask Before Embarking on a Campaign

Written By: Robin Harpak, Senior Director of University and Nonprofit Partnerships

Fundraising can be tricky; sometimes competing needs and priorities can cause us to lose sight of the big picture and fall short of both our values and our funding goals. A good fundraiser values honesty, integrity, connection, and passion for the mission of an organization. They aim to make a difference in their organization and, in turn, the world. Here are eight questions to ask yourself to stay on track:

#1. First, why are you undertaking a campaign? What are the need(s) and the “why”??

Intention is truly everything, and it will impact the outcome of whatever you do. Your “why” is what will determine your “how,” so to be effective, you’ve got to get your intention right.

#2. What are the internal expectations, and what are the expectations of donors and constituents?

Any fundraiser event or campaign is going to have multiple and diverse stakeholders, and you’ve got to be able to hit all the right marks. Make sure you’re correctly anticipating the expectations of each party, meeting them, and achieving your target numbers. When partnering with Emory University, our work — building personas and journey maps — really allowed us to identify the? types of donors and prospects and the best way to communicate with them. It informed all of the work we did branding the 2O36 campaign, designing the campaign launch events, and providing messaging toolkits for the university to carry cohesive, compelling messaging throughout the life of their campaign.?

#3. Evaluate wants versus needs and how much money it will actually take to get there.

Look, we’d all love to be able to blow thousands on an incredible venue, food, and entertainment for a big fundraiser that will last all night — but as we all know, even though we have to spend money to make money, we still have to spend less than we make. There’s a balance required when designing an incredible event while sharing your message about the importance of giving. Carefully evaluate what is a “want” versus a “need” in the organization as well as in each specific campaign, and be realistic about the investment required to achieve the goal. When partnering with Georgia Tech for their campaign launch, this approach was key. Putting a tent on the football field, heating that tent for a December event, protecting the field with flooring, etc. would have made for a once-in-a-lifetime experience for donors. However, the expense outweighed the benefit. We were able to identify an incredible indoor space for the launch events and design what Tech Leadership later stated was “an event unlike anything they’d ever seen before.”?

#4. Do you have the donor pyramid to reach that dollar amount?

If you don’t have a donor pyramid, make defining one your first priority. Then get realistic about who you have at which level. For each campaign or event, you’ve got to know which donors you’re speaking to and if there are enough of them to make that specific campaign a success.

#5. Is the timing right for this campaign?

The cliche is true: timing is everything. Consider all the competing demands on your potential donors’ time and strategize accordingly. You can’t assume that if you build it, they will come — are your donors ready to be asked? Do you have the internal infrastructure needed to achieve your goals? Do you have all the tools you need? Timing and sequence in the planning phase of a campaign are keys to success. Our newest partner, Clemson, knew the timing was right. They have been consistently surpassing their annual goals, see no signs of donor fatigue, and have the right leadership in place. Their new strategic plan aligns with their campaign priorities, and they are excited to show their constituents how Clemson is impacting our world for the better.?

#6. How long will it take us to reach that amount?

Another true cliche: time is money. Be realistic about what you’ve got to invest in order to earn your target funding. You don’t want to overburden your team (or yourself) to the point of ineffectiveness. How can you create the sense of urgency needed to drive donations while allowing for enough time to solicit all your donors to achieve the goal? iU is here to help with creative assets to make solicitations compelling, effective, and efficient and to support our partners in whatever ways they need to lift the burden.

#7. Do we have the leadership and infrastructure to support a campaign?

Fundraising is not a one-person job; you’ve got to have the support (read: time and enthusiasm) of both your leadership and your colleagues in order to pull off the joint effort of effective fundraising. If your team is struggling, consider rescheduling, restrategizing, or brainstorming with them to find effective solutions to the obstacles in their way. Every team effort, regardless of what it is, requires buy-in from every individual involved.

#8. How will a campaign impact our annual giving efforts?

You can’t forget the big picture. Consider how each and every action you take on a daily basis fits into the wider narrative of your organization’s fundraising efforts, both from the donors’ perspective and from the organization’s perspective. For example, Ideas United’s campaign for CARE was a yearlong strategy that had to adapt to the pandemic while still hitting bottom-line goals.

Fundraising can be an exciting, challenging, and rewarding process that galvanizes a variety of people to do their part. Each player makes a huge difference to your cause and, ultimately, to the world. Keeping these questions in mind will help you stay on track so that everyone involved feels as motivated as you do. If you get it right, you’ll see the dividends for years to come.

And don't just take our word for it; watch the accompanying testimonial video featuring highlights and valuable feedback from a few key partners. See firsthand how strategic collaborations have propelled fundraising efforts and inspired lasting impact.