Spring campaign basics: 5 tips to improve your fundraiser

For nonprofit organizations, there is little time between their year-end giving campaign and the following spring season. This pause between campaigns is small but provides nonprofits with just enough time to make spring donation appeals.

There are many reasons a spring campaign should be your nonprofit’s next fundraising pursuit. Spring campaigns offer more flexibility without key dates, such as New Year’s Day, that create appeal and donation deadlines. Also, they aren’t quite as omnipresent as year-end campaigns, which means there’s less competition for donors’ attention.

If you’re gearing up to plan a spring campaign, consider these five ways to most the most of it.

1. Choose a fundraising strategy.

Since the spring season lacks key giving dates, such as #GivingTuesday, you will need to create new reasons about why supporters should give now to share with donors. The first step in your campaign startup should be to define your goals. Then, choose your key strategy to achieve these goals for the campaign, and tie all of your campaign efforts back to this strategy. For example, if your goal is to secure monthly recurring donations, you might:

• Clearly present the option for recurring gifts on your donation page.
• Explain monthly giving in your marketing materials.
• Recruit volunteers to promote recurring giving.
• Establish a “subscription” that incentives monthly gifts.
• Thank current monthly donors for their contributions.

Craft a detailed strategy that furthers your goal in actionable ways. Use it as a set of guidelines for the rest of your fundraiser, consulting your strategy to determine how you’ll make requests.

2. Develop a campaign theme.

The communications for any fundraiser should look and sound like they’re part of one overarching campaign. From your messaging to your visuals, work with a cohesive theme to connect direct mail, email, and social media posts. 

Leverage a variety of platforms to send out multiple types of communications. With an integrated marketing approach, you can spread awareness about your campaign and compel donors to act. 

3. Create a themed giving page.

A cohesive theme connects elements of your promotional efforts together, making a more consistent experience for donors. Tying your donation page to the rest of your campaign’s theme gives donors confidence that they’re contributing to the right cause (and that this campaign was well-planned!).

Update the link attached to the donate button on your nonprofit’s homepage during your spring campaign. Then, make sure your marketing materials drive traffic to your dedicated fundraising page for your spring campaign. Treat your email blasts, text messaging, and social media posts as supplementary platforms that draw donors into the main event: your campaign page.

4. Tell a story.

Storytelling is the most compelling way to capture your audience’s attention and urge them to take action. Depending on the organization and specific cause, there are numerous ways to tell a story:

• Highlight a beneficiary who was helped by your nonprofit
• Showcase a volunteer who has offered significant work for the cause
• Tell the story of your nonprofit’s founding
• Paint a hypothetical picture of the future your nonprofit aims to achieve

No matter the focus of your story, remember to include a clear call to action for supporters. Remind your donors that their gifts greatly impact the cause they care about and urge them to continue giving. 

5. Use relevant visuals.

Your campaign’s theme will undoubtedly be unique to your nonprofit, but many spring campaigns rely on the classic flowery visuals that come along with the season. If you choose to include outdoor photos in your own images or stock images, ensure that they reflect the correct season. 

Even if the temperature isn’t quite spring-like, a little hope for better weather might just grab the viewer’s attention and prompt a positive response.

Reap the benefits of an effective spring campaign.

Whether you’re fundraising for a new initiative, raising money for your annual gala, or wrapping up the fiscal year, spring campaigns are the perfect solution. Engage and renew your relationships with donors, attract prospects, build awareness, and plant the seeds that sustain your nonprofit. Check out our Spring Events Preparation webinar to learn more about setting your spring fundraising up for success!