[Strategies for Success - Smart fundraising ideas from Kinetic]

Just Finished a Campaign? Time to Start Another!

imageAfter wrapping up a campaign, the last thing many nonprofits want to think about is starting a new one.

“We’re just so relieved to be finished. Why would we want to launch another campaign so soon?”

Glad you asked. The following are three reasons why getting the next campaign started right on the heels of the last one is a smart strategy.

A new campaign allows you to:

Slingshot on the previous campaign’s momentum.
Now that you have finished a campaign, it is time to capitalize on your new learning curve. You should now have a longer list of supporters than you did when you started last time. You have raised your visibility and proven you know how to succeed. For many potential donors, “seeing is believing.” They may have hung back or given a small gift to the last campaign, but now that they know you are poised to do great things, they may be more interested in giving a major gift.

Cultivate new donor relationships.
If your last campaign was a success, you likely uncovered new supporters. They gave gifts when asked, because they cared about the mission. Yet, they haven’t been around long enough for you to understand why they cared or just how much. A new campaign will give you a great chance to find out. Spend more time with them. Ask them what they believe should be the next goals for the organization. Invite them to serve on a campaign steering committee. Engage them while the good memories of a successful campaign are still fresh.

Emphasize something new.
Was the last capital campaign for academics? Is it time for a new campaign for athletics? If the last campaign emphasized capital and equipment, perhaps a Legacy campaign that focuses on endowment, but still offers capital opportunities is in order? Give donors a variety of avenues to become more connected to the mission.

When done right, a campaign is a transformational experience that not only fulfills your goals, but sets you up for “what’s next.” If you need help ensuring your next campaign is a success, don’t hesitate to ask for help. We’re here for you – for your next campaign and for the one to follow.

Bud Cooper, Executive Vice President (Kansas City) bud@kineticfundraising.com

logoJoin Us on the Growing Philanthropy Tour

Next stops on the road to achieving Kinetic’s mission of growing philanthropy by 25 percent in the next 20 years:

Minneapolis
February 28-March 3, 2018
ALDE IGNITE International Conference
Massive Fundraising
Adrian Sargeant

Nashville, Tenn.
March 21-23, 2018
NSFA National Conference
Exhibitor: Kinetic

Dallas
May 23-25, 2018
Boy Scouts of America Annual Meeting

Bergen, Norway
June 18-19, 2018
NHH – Norwegian School of Economics
John List

Taipei, Taiwan
June 21-22, 2018
National Taiwan University
John List

Canberra, Australia
June 25-26, 2018
BX2018, Australian Government
Keynote: John List

Richmond, Va.
July 18-19, 2018
2018 Virginia Fund Raising Institute Conference
Lead Sponsor: Kinetic

London
July 2018
Iof Convention 2018
Adrian Sargeant
Jen Shang

Clayton, Australia
August 13-24, 2018
Monash University
John List

Washington, D.C.
August 29-31, 2018
Boy Scouts of America Top Hands

Chicago
September 19-20, 2018
Science of Philanthropy Institute Conference 2018
John List

Boston, Mass.
October 5-6, 2018
Boston University
Advances with Field Experiments
John List

Basel, Switzerland
October 16-18, 2018
University of Basel
8th Bernoulli Lecture for the Behavioral Sciences
John List

Past Stops on the Tour


Resources for Smart Fundraising Available on Kindle

Keep up to date on the latest fundraising trends with the Kindle ASR Media collection:

  • Fundraising Leadership – The definitive source for empowering board members to become pro-active fundraising leaders by Karin L. Cox
  • Performance-Driven Fundraising – Handy, yet entertaining reference tool for new and seasoned fundraisers by Matthew J. Beem

 

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Strategies for Success explores smart ideas, connecting with thousands of fundraising professionals. We welcome your best practices contributions or comments. Send to Strategies for Success editor Karin Cox, kcox@kineticfundraising.com. If you’d like a free subscription to Strategies for Success or its monthly companion, Philanthropy Success, contact info@kineticfundraising.com.