Annual fundraising campaigns are mass solicitations conducted by an organization each year to meet their annual operating needs or to fund special projects. Mass solicitations use the law of averages so that over time, a certain amount of return can be relied on by the organization.
Methods of annual fundraising campaigns include door to door campaigns, workplace campaigns and direct mail or email campaigns. These methods are often supplemented by advertising and special fundraising events that draw attention to the campaign.
Direct mail refers to requests for donations made by a letter or by email. The mailing is usually sent to a large list of people. There are many variations of direct mail as a fundraising strategy:
- sending addressed letters to an organizations members, previous donors, alumni, or some combination of these types of lists;
- sending addressed letters that are not personalized to postal code areas;
- using lists that are purchased from credit card companies, magazines, or similar sources (subject to privact laws).
Results will vary depending on which of these strategies is used. Generally, a list developed by an organization that includes people that have had some relationship with the organization will provide a better return than lists from other sources. Telephone solicitation is used by some organizations to supplement direct mail or as an alternative to direct mail.
Many organizations rely on a campaign to supplement their annual operating budget, but the campaign may also be used to raise funds for a specific project.
Annual Campaign Summary
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When to Do It
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usually at end of year
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consider twice a year
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co-ordinate events and solicitation
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in conjunction with national month
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times when need urgent
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What You Need
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mailing list if doing mail
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volunteers if door to door
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database
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email lists
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pr campaign prior to solicitation
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Why You Do It
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most common way of raising funds for annual operating expenses
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special appeals for specific programs or projects
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builds consistent base of support
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Results to Expect
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urgency will improve results
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quality lists will improve results
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online or email will lower costs
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work on improving average gift size and average response rates
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