Not Another Fundraiser! Building and Sustaining an Effective Annual Giving Campaign

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In far too many Catholic schools today, the reliance on fundraising has reached a level of anxiety, struggle and fatigue. Not only are these activities an unreliable source of revenue, parents and other stakeholders have grown weary of selling – and buying candy, wrapping paper and raffle tickets.
At a recent school finance committee meeting while discussing the need to meet budget goals, a parent lamented, “not another fundraiser!”
At Catholic Vitality 360, we invite you to consider the totality of the school budget in terms of sources of revenue, your strategic vision, enrollment, your marketplace advantage and being a school of vitality.
Based on our experience and school partnerships, the issue here is the quantity, rather than the QUALITY of school fundraising.
Within the context of building a culture of philanthropy in your school, it is important to invite and promote many forms of engagement, including gifts of time, talent, wisdom and treasure.
As an Advancement process, the goal is to create and execute 3-5 quality fundraisers and a comprehensive annual giving campaign that is clear, compelling and engages a broad range of stakeholders, comprised of parents, parishioners, alumni, grandparents, past parents, businesses and friends.
Definition of an Annual Giving Campaign
The School Annual Giving Campaign is a comprehensive, strategic and well-organized Advancement process designed to obtain various gifts through personal invitations that support specific program enhancements and instructional needs on a yearly basis. A leadership team is secured, numerous giving opportunities are offered and timely donor recognition is a top priority.
Essential Elements of an Annual Giving Campaign 
Establishing a strategic and reliable Annual Giving Campaign is contingent on a mindset shift from the negative position of multiple, fatigue-causing fundraising to building a model of abundance and vitality through an atmosphere of shared vision, personal invitation and high levels of engagement. These essential elements include:\n
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The Annual Giving Campaign is an outgrowth of the school’s Strategic Vision.
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The Annual Giving Campaign seeks to build a culture of Philanthropy.
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The Annual Giving Campaign is a key component of the school Advancement process.
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The Annual Giving Campaign timeline runs from September – June.
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The Annual Giving Campaign has clearly defined goals, based on funding priorities.
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The Annual Giving Campaign seeks to cultivate a donor experience that is personal and responsive with multiple touch points and giving options.
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The Annual Giving Campaign operates with a weekly/monthly campaign plan, including operational requirements, database, campaign leadership team, key documents, messaging, events and recognition process.
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The Annual Giving Campaign may include endowment gifts, sponsorships, events, grants and digital and virtual appeal.
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The Annual Giving Campaign is subjected to a comprehensive assessment and evaluative process in July/August, with areas of growth added immediately.
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Key Steps in Executing the Annual Giving Campaign
Utilizing the above elements, you are now ready to launch an effective Annual Giving Campaign. Here are the key steps:
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Step #1: Establish Campaign Operations: Campaign office, database, monthly campaign plan, personnel, materials, videos, digital/social media, letters, events and invitation strategy.
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Step #2: Determine Campaign Goals: Establish the following goals: A) Revenue Generation B) Number of Donors C) Number of New Donors D) Constituent Group Participation: Alumni, Parishioner or Grandparent Engagement.
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Step #3: Invite and Train Annual Giving Leadership Team: As an engagement process, the intent is to involve our stakeholders. Positions include: Chairs, Associate Chairs, Division Leaders, Marketing Team, Events and Hospitality Team, Sponsorship Team, Grant Writing Team – among others.
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Step #4: Execute Monthly Communication Process: Utilizing a multitude of strategies and platforms, school stakeholders will receive ongoing reports, recognition and invitations to events and campaign activities
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Step #5: Implement Personal Invitation Strategy: Based on the school calendar, there is a monthly strategy to invite gifts from selected constituent groups. These strategies are segmented monthly with a variety of diverse touch points – from direct mail, to visits, to events, phone calls and digital media.
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Step #6: Manage a Responsive Gift Recognition Process: As gifts come in, all donors are tracked and sent a formal recognition for their gift. Donors are also recognized in publications, digital media and with hand-written notes. Please consider a donor giving society and special recognition items.
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Step #7: Conduct Follow-up Process: As you progress through the monthly campaign, please include a personalized follow-up process. This may consist of a reminder letter or phone call. The reminder campaign is also supported by a strategic marketing message.
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Step #8: Complete Campaign, Evaluate and Celebrate: Finalize all campaign activities, record all gifts, conduct campaign evaluations and host celebration events (getting ready to launch a new campaign).
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As you can see, this is a process that will take time to build, refine and sustain. Start small, put the infrastructure in place, gather momentum and invite people to join in the vision of your bright future. 
We also proceed with the 3 P’s: Patience, Persistence and Prayer. 
Do not fear, we walk in Faith and this is God’s work.
Bernard Dumond has the strategy, tools and framework to help your parish. Contact Bernard today to get the conversation started. 
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The over-reliance on frequent and tiring fundraisers has become a source of anxiety for parents and stakeholders, we advocate for a robust annual giving campaign that aligns with your school's vision.
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