What are the best practices for Donation Campaigns?

Anonymous Blackbaud User

Fundraising Success Scenarios

Use Survey to get constituents input and build the case for the campaign. Survey results can be used with information about the campaign.

Set up a Campaign with the Donations application.

Use the description of the campaign and donation levels to let donors know the impact of their gift.

Add campaign information with a link to the campaign on the home page.

Create a page for the campaign that includes links for any supporting Events, New Articles, or Photos. Be sure to let potential donors know how their gift will be used. Let potential donors know that donations that are processed online are more efficient and allow more of their gift to go towards the mission of the campaign. If possible give a specific cost savings in terms of dollars or activities.

Use the digital thermometer Campaign Component in a PageBuilder to give real time feedback to donors.

Send out an Email Appeal to announce the campaign. Let potential donors know that donations can be used more effectively when administrative costs are minimized using donations online. Be sure to encourage email recipients to forward on to a friend or colleague who may be interested in supporting the organization.

Measure Click-throughs and Campaign Yields on appeals that are sent. Understanding what drives success is important to future campaigns.

Make sure direct mail response cards include a space for an email address and provide information about how to make online donations.

Make it easy to monitor your progress by including Campaign Reports on your administrative homepage. Use the Campaign Reports to analyze your online contribution to the campaign.

Throughout the campaign use Email Marketing and PageBuilder to communicate key results. Measure Email Clickthroughs and Campaign Yields from the Email Response Reports

A week before the campaign closes send a final Email Appeal.

Post the results of the campaign with page builder.

Once the campaign closes send an additional Email Communication thanking those who contributed and announce the overall success of the campaign. Let donors know how the money will be used. People like to be part of success and know that they have had an impact.

Build a page on the site that includes the results of the campaign. Let new visitors know your organization is successful in getting donors to support your mission.

Use Campaign Reports and Email Results Reports to analyze your online contribution to the campaign.