New Year, New Goals: Let’s Bake Up a Fundraising Plan for 2025
The hardest thing I've faced as a fundraiser is knocking my annual fundraising goal out of the park by December 31, and then I come into the office on January 2, and I realize I'm starting the year with a big, fat $0 on the fundraising thermometer. It can feel like staring at an empty mixing bowl. The ingredients got all used up last year, and it’s easy to wonder how you’ll whip up the magic again this year.
But here’s the thing: you’ve done this before, and you’ve got the recipe (a.k.a. data) to make it even better this time. Let’s talk about how to use last year’s numbers and set goals so SMART they’d make any fundraiser proud.
Start With the Right Ingredients: Using Last Year’s Data
Before you set any goals, take a deep dive into your 2024 results. Your past performance holds the clues to what’s possible in 2025. Here’s how to get started:
Review revenue sources: Break down total funds raised by source (e.g., individual donors, events, grants).
Analyze donor retention and behavior: How many donors stuck with you? What percentage gave more than once? How many donors upgraded? How many downgraded?
Evaluate campaign performance: Which appeals worked well, and which ones flopped?
Look for trends: Did giving spike during certain months? What patterns do you notice?
By mixing these key data points together, you’ll understand what worked, where there’s room to grow, and what’s realistic for the new year.
Whip Up SMART Goals
Once you’ve looked at your data, it’s time to articulate your new goals into a beautiful batch of SMART goals. SMART goals are:
Specific: Focused and clearly defined. Instead of “increase donations,” aim for “increase individual donor giving by 15%.”
Measurable: Include metrics to track progress. For example, “recruit 50 new monthly donors.”
Actionable: Sometimes people say A stands for Ambitious, but I say A stands for Actionable. I have seen clients set goals that were otherwise smart, but they didn't know what actions they would take to achieve the goal. Make sure you can take action on the goal.
Relevant: Aligned with your mission and priorities. If a fundraising event is a long walk for a small sip of water, skip it. Instead, think about how you can achieve both your mission and your fundraising in one fell swoop!
Time-bound: Set deadlines to create urgency and focus. For instance, “sign up 25 new donors by March 31.”
Here’s what a SMART goal might look like: By December 31, 2025, increase overall donor retention by 10%, growing from 55% to 65%.
Don’t Bake Alone: Join Our January Focus Session
Having goals is great, but achieving them requires a sustainable, year-round plan. That’s where we come in! On January 24, we’re hosting a Focus Session to help you translate your goals into actionable strategies. Think of it as your roadmap to fundraising success in 2025—and a chance to collaborate with other nonprofit pros.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
The From Scratch Framework for Sustainable Fundraising;
How to look at your data and set your goals;
Moving from effort-to-effort to sustainable, year-round action that grows fundraising income predictably.
Grab your spot now, and let’s make 2025 your best fundraising year yet! Let's turn that empty bowl into something delicious this year!
