A fundraising campaign without a strong theme is like a protest without a slogan. There\u2019s no clear campaign message to rally behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To really make a difference at a protest, you not only need to gather people at the same place and at the same time, you also need them to engage. If you\u2019re lacking a communication strategy, it becomes much harder for people to take on your mission and march with a sense of ownership around a shared goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same applies to online fundraising campaigns. A communication strategy and overarching theme can be the differences between thousands of dollars raised. That\u2019s because you\u2019re working in a digital space, where there\u2019s no ambiance or d\u00e9cor to fuel fundraising energy for donors like there would be at a physical event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online, a shared sense of purpose must be carefully crafted, and a strong theme is the tool to do it. The following tips outline how to establish your theme and provide examples to help you get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To create a theme that engages your target audience<\/span>, it needs to include certain elements. To garner as much support as possible, make sure your campaign theme is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help ensure a <\/span>successful campaign<\/span>, during<\/span> the initial stages of your planning, schedule an <\/span>overarching<\/span> theme brainstorm with the campaign\u2019s key stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To kickoff the brainstorm, review your organization\u2019s fundraising goals for the year. If you haven\u2019t yet, set a reasonable monetary fundraising goal<\/a> for this specific initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, think about this fundraising campaign goal in terms of what it can achieve for an existing or new program for your organization. Then, think about that larger program goal in terms of giving levels. How can your overall programmatic goal be broken up into smaller elements that donors can relate to? Create varying giving levels and illustrate the resulting impact in order to connect donors to your work and prompt them to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By considering your overall monetary campaign goal and giving levels, you can potentially incorporate those numbers into your theme or use them to inform whether a theme based on an overall campaign goal is realistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, brainstorm mission-driven words and phrases that speak to what you\u2019re trying to achieve through this fundraising campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n Whether you\u2019re looking to create a themed campaign strategy for the first time, or just want to renew your inspiration, it can be helpful to look to others for examples. The following online fundraising campaigns illustrate what it takes to design a theme that inspires action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Builds wells to provide clean water around the world.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was charity: water\u2019s campaign theme for their 2015 annual September campaign. \u201cNothing is Crazy\u201d is a brilliant theme because it has a double meaning. The first refers to the idea that doing nothing to help provide clean water around the world is \u201ccrazy,\u201d and the second refers to charity: water\u2019s push to encourage fundraisers to do anything and everything\u2014from lemonade stands to biking across the United States\u2014to fundraise for the cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How to Get Started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Examples of Successful Fundraising Campaign Themes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
charity: water | #NothingisCrazy<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n