As the name implies, an annual campaign is a campaign conducted each year for the purpose of raising money to support a nonprofit’s operating expenses. A comprehensive effort that incorporates face-to-face solicitation of individuals, the annual campaign is an extremely powerful part of your resource development plan and can be the cornerstone of overall philanthropic support to your nonprofit.
Annual campaigns have a beginning and an end — some last several weeks, while others last several months, depending on your organization. They are organized around a board campaign and a leadership gifts effort that both rely on volunteer involvement in conducting solicitations. The benefits of an annual campaign include:
- Communicating with your donors repeatedly
- Enhancing your brand recognition
- Expanding your donor base
- Funding your mission
- Involving people in the work you do
- Building volunteer ownership
- Discovering leadership
- Most importantly, feeding your major gifts pipeline.
Whether your annual campaign goal is to raise $100,000 or $1,000,000 in unrestricted funds, we are your partner in reaching your goal.
We approach an annual campaign with an annual fund assessment. With the results from the annual fund assessment, we help you develop a campaign plan that details the work and campaign structure, including a timeline outlining fundraising and communications activities. We assist you in identifying donor prospects and determine appropriate asking strategies. We help you design prospect cultivation programs and review and package programs that have strong funding potential. We provide an orientation and training for volunteer solicitors and offer strategies on how to “ask” for money. We assist you in preparing marketing materials and direct you in telling your story in a compelling way and with pleasing graphic design – both online and offline. And we guide you in planning and executing campaign events. Throughout the annual campaign, we provide you with hands-on management of the campaign to ensure you reach your goal – no matter how small or big it is.