2025 is just upon us, and as you think about your mission focus for the new year, it is likely time to start thinking about meeting your fundraising goals. Managing your time and energy towards fundraising is an imperative, as you decide which fundraising efforts you want to use over the next 12 months.
One thing that is important is to reflect on the success of each fundraising event, and assess the need for retaining these events, as well as what resources are needed to make the event successful. What does success look like for your organization? A keen focus on return on investment will be helpful to present to your executive team and board how you plan to grow your mission in the most effective manner.
STEPS YOU SHOULD FOLLOW IN JANUARY 2025
Setting yourself up for success first relies on understanding where you have been and where you want to go. This can be achieved by considering the following:
Reflect:
The new year offers a natural pause to look back on your organization’s fundraising efforts from the previous year. Take the time to evaluate your successes and challenges, identify what worked well, what didn’t and reflect on the lessons learned.
Set Clear and Inspiring Fundraising Targets:
Each event by itself should be assessed for the financial impact as well as the advancement of your mission, including awareness, connectivity, community engagement, and visibility to your mission. You should establish clear and measurable fundraising objectives, whether it’s increasing your donor base by 30%, improving donor retention in Q2, or expanding your fundraising channels. By setting inspiring targets, you will motivate your team and donors, propelling you towards success.
Analyze Donor Data:
Leverage data analytics to gain insights into your donor base. You can start by segmenting donors based on giving patterns, interests and demographics. This includes segmenting donors by how long they have supported you, where they live in relationship to where services are provided, and other more intimate areas, such as segmentation of those that may have a direct connection to your cause (eg. a cancer survivor). This targeted approach will enable you to tailor your fundraising strategies and communication to the specific needs and preferences of each donor group.
Embrace Technology and Innovation:
The world of technology is everchanging, and while some of us are not “tech-savvy”, it is imperative that you have a set of eyes on emerging technologies that will enhance your mission. Different donor bases respond to technology in varying ways, so adopting new technological innovations will not only attract new supporters but also enhance donor engagement and strengthen your relationship with existing donors.
Collaborate and Network:
This time of year is always one of giving and appreciation. Your leadership will likely focus on thanking their current donors for their support and celebrating the success of your mission. Extend these moments to your full community, which should include not just those who have given, but also those you have served, and those you may need your services in the future. Every year there are new businesses in your community that are looking for ways to connect to the surrounding community. New neighborhoods are built and those who move in, are likely already giving to causes similar to yours. Even a focus on that “next generation” of donors can be impactful. If you are giving the young in your community an opportunity to connect with your mission, you are essentially building a longer-term foundation with both the young and their families. In this world of so many distracting and confusing messages, your mission will be welcomed as part of the legacy we all want to create for our children.
2025 GOALS TO ADOPT FOR FUNDRAISERS
Goals should be set with achievable milestones for your team to achieve. It is recommended that you have short term goals that your team can easily see progress and ability to achieve. Stacked together, these shorter-term goals will push you towards the bigger, long-term goals. Five goals that we think any organization would benefit from in 2025 are as follows:
1. Keep guests better informed throughout the year (relationships are everything!!!)
It is important as it ensures you have an engaged donor base. Whether you want to drum up interest for an upcoming event or share messages post-occasion, keeping guests informed is important. Be thoughtful in how much you communicate with donors and the community. They need to know what you are doing, but also not to be inundated with messaging that may seem repetitive and fatiguing (think about those commercials you see on TV that you are tired of seeing too much!)
2. Pay more attention to guests at events by bringing in additional support.
That first Impression means a lot which means giving guests the experience they deserve is essential when they engage with your brand. This could be online, social media, in the community, or at your fundraising events. It will likely be a combination of all these!
A best practice is to have a dedicated person who is monitoring the messaging and guest experience you are creating. Too often fundraising events are designed inside out, based on the logistics of the venue, past history, other limitations that may be financial, but ultimately could be fatal towards your intended outcomes.
3. Take time to understand the performance of campaigns before starting another.
Keeping your campaigns fresh is essential. Look at what the competition is doing and assess its impact….do you replicate or differentiate? Evaluating other campaigns allows you to identify successful strategies that contribute to your campaign’s success and the areas that may need improvement. You can then carry forward the successful components into your new campaign while correcting or improving the problem areas. Why reinvent the wheel?
4. Think outside of the box to gain interest from new donors.
Ok, it is sometimes hard to get creative in the fundraising world. This is where you want to extend your vision to those OUTSIDE of your organization. Those outside your organization who have an understanding of what you want to accomplish. For example, a fundraising auctioneer sees events all over from a wide spectrum. Inviting your auctioneer into conversations about fundraising strategies can be a source of new momentum and energy. Same with event planners and other vendors who support you. Of course, there may be donors or friends who have an outside perspective that can bring new life into your events. The adage is “repeating the same efforts, but expecting different results” is the definition of insanity! Be bold and unique when looking at fundraising. It is crucial for capturing attention, fostering excitement, differentiating your organization, and increasing donations. Also, fresh new ideas for a new event can keep things exciting and encourage guests to give year after year if it’s different than before, you can engage potential donors and stand out in a crowded fundraising landscape.
5. Streamline financial services and ways that you process donors.
Not every event requires a technology asset to support donations, and there is a cost to adding technology to the equation. Not only money, but in terms of time and effort. Be sure to weigh the full cost of technology against the return on investment before implementing. Sometimes the cost will outweigh the advantages.
SUMMARY
The dawn of a new year brings a world of possibilities for charitable causes to reevaluate and enhance their fundraising strategies. By reflecting on past experiences, setting inspiring goals, leveraging data, embracing technology, engaging donors and collaborating with others, you can position your organization for fundraising success in the year ahead.
Embrace this opportunity and make 2025 a transformative year for your nonprofit, enabling you to further your mission and create lasting impact in your community
