Annual Campaigns
The keys to a successful annual fundraising campaign are consistency and your database. Supporters may not be consciously awaiting your call or letter, yet in all likelihood they know you will be contacting them around the same time each year. The Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, Girl Scout cookies, and many mail campaigns take place at the same time each year and in the same (or a similar) manner — and people have come to expect them.
Maintain the integrity of your database by only making changes from information provided directly by the donor, not off of other lists or information supplied by third parties. Make sure your data is updated and accurate by verifying it directly with the donor.
While you may alter your methods, it is important to keep the basics similar from year to year so people recognize your letter or pencil in the date of the fundraising dinner on their calendars. Naturally, if your fundraiser was not successful last year or you've found a major way to improve on your results, you'll want to implement some measure of change. Do so without changing everything at once. People like a sense of familiarity. Leave some key elements, such as logo, location, type of event, and time of year.
Your database should tell you who donated last year, how to contact them, and how much they gave. This is very important for next year. Keep good records of donors and update such data as it changes, including new street addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.
Annual fundraising drives can be a staple for your organization and, if done correctly, will grow over time. They are a feature of a majority of nonprofit groups today.
Annual fundraising campaigns:
Provide ongoing donor support
Provide a basic blueprint of the fundraiser
Establish your organization as an ongoing presence
Are anticipated by donors who may already be prepared to give
Are easier to run because there are blueprints from previous years
People look forward to annual events or activities, and your volunteers will know when it's time to gear up for putting in more time and energy in order to make the campaign a success.
