The Annual Campaign

LEARN THE SECRETS TO BUILDING AND MANAGING A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL SUPPORT CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Whether your organization is building its first annual support campaign or working on its hundredth, The Annual Campaign offers a fresh look at how your organization can raise the most money possible by effectively engaging staff, board, volunteers, donors, and prospects in embracing your mission and rallying to its cause. This nuts-and-bolts book presents practical advice on: The secrets to running an effective, well-coordinated annual campaign Why your annual campaign needs a strong support base How to know when your organization is ready to launch its campaign Best practices for growing human relationships—and big pledges and gifts How to get your volunteer force purposefully engaged Brimming with step-by-step guidance and practical tools, including checklists for annual support campaigns, assessments for campaign readiness, sample pledge cards, cultivation tips for obtaining larger gifts, and much more, The Annual Campaign is the only guide you'll need to launch a successful—and abundantly lucrative—annual campaign.

Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii About the Author xix 1 What Is the Annual Fund? 1 2 Benefits of the Annual Campaign 19 3 Assessing Campaign Readiness 57 4 Developing the Case for Support 93 5 Recruiting Volunteers 121 6 Building Your Campaign Teams 165 7 Building Relationships and Asking for the Gift 193 8 Planning and Evaluating Your Campaign 227 Index 271