When is it time for your campaign to go public? Because the quiet phase occurs largely behind closed doors, the transition into the public phase of a campaign can seem complex and mysterious. The art and science behind successful campaigns play prominently in the decision to shift gears from one phase to the next.
The most effective campaign quiet phases are far from a well-kept secret. Rather, the quiet phase is a distinct point of inflection when a campaign’s most significant work is underway.
As CFA shared in A Closer Look at the Campaign Quiet Phase, the quiet phase serves as a litmus test for a campaign’s vision and case for support, deeply engaging top priority donors while building confidence amongst fundraising staff and donors alike. The quiet phase also confirms what is often the most uncertain component of any campaign: the fundraising goal. By testing the case for support and gaining insight from an organization’s closest supporters, the quiet phase provides a period of flexibility before setting the final bar to achieve success.
TRANSITIONING FROM THE QUIET PHASE
The determination to enter a campaign’s public phase is more nuanced than simply surpassing a predefined fundraising threshold.
CFA Senior Manager of Campaigns Anne Spears brings over a decade of fundraising experience, offering strategic guidance to organizations throughout each stage of their campaigns and supporting progress toward their campaign goals. CFA takes a customized approach to each client we serve, and there are a variety of factors Anne considers when providing counsel at this strategic period in a campaign:
- Fundraising Progress: While most nonprofits raise between 50-80% of their overall goal before going public, campaigns quickly raising a significant percentage of funds may choose to set their sights higher than the original internal goal, while those experiencing fewer commitments or gifts lower than anticipated may establish a more feasible fundraising goal before entering the public phase.
- Campaign Momentum: An organization’s pace toward their fundraising goal can also influence the decision to go public. Organizations quickly raising funds with a strong prospect pipeline may choose to take their campaign public early on to sustain the excitement. Conversely, organizations experiencing a decline in fundraising momentum may go public more quickly to broaden their pipeline of potential supporters. For organizations with a commitment to equity, the decision to promptly take their campaign public creates access early on for donors and stakeholders at all levels.
- Anticipated Timeline and Trajectory: An organization’s capacity to implement and sustain a campaign will influence the duration and eventual finish line of their campaign. Some organizations with a smaller donor base and modest fundraising goal may strive for an expedited campaign relying on their current staffing structure, while organizations with ambitious goals may expand their fundraising team and set out on a lengthy campaign to reach their final destination.
CFA provides customized counsel to each organization we serve, weighing these factors alongside the organization’s history, base of support, and vision for the future. While each campaign follows a unique course, having a direct line of sight to the fundraising goal – defined by a strong base of donors and promising prospects in the pipeline – before publicly announcing the campaign is the surest path to success.
SUSTAINING MOMENTUM IN THE PUBLIC PHASE
Regardless of the depth of an organization’s development team or the extent of its fundraising goal, campaigns are a comprehensive undertaking that require sustained stamina and capacity to complete. As critical donor engagement activity progresses in the quiet phase, there is important groundwork to be laid internally to sustain progress in the public phase.
Creating a Communications Plan
“The key to public phase fundraising success hinges on a smooth passing of the baton from an organization’s development team to their marketing team,” according to Anne. For smaller organizations, these efforts may be housed under one department or even shared amongst a few staff. Larger organizations will require increased cross-functional coordination as the marketing team prepares the public facing communications plan. “When organizations decide to go public quickly, there is significant work happening simultaneously – securing leadership gifts while also targeting stakeholders at varying giving levels. So, it’s critical that organizations have their campaign communications plan ready as activity ramps up.”
- A consistent, compelling communications plan should be built around the campaign’s case for support, complete with content and collateral to expand awareness, garner additional interest, and support individual donor cultivation. Check out CFA’s Donor Communications & Outreach Guide for more details about creating a donor communications plan to support your campaign or annual fund.
Engaging Staff and Volunteers
As organizations transition into the campaign public phase, the initial motivation and enthusiasm driving early fundraising wins can wane amongst staff and volunteer committee members. Establishing SMART goals tied specifically to the quiet and public phases of a campaign can support fundraising staff as they continue to make meaningful progress and sustain momentum within their own portfolios. As CFA’s Principal-West Coast Kristin Love shared in a recent article on fundraising metrics, relying on activity- and outcome-based leading indicators will drive results by informing time management, improving accountability, and ultimately increasing giving.
The roles of volunteer committee members naturally transition and often decline in the campaign public phase, with involvement becoming more sporadic and event-based. The campaign public phase often involves peer-to-peer fundraising, which can also be a chance for volunteers to leverage their networks in new and exciting ways. To replenish the excitement of the campaign committee, Anne often advises clients to create space for new committee members as campaigns go public. “Allowing committee members to roll off and bringing in new, fresh energy can help to galvanize the team in the midst of a marathon of a campaign.”
ACHIEVING FUNDRAISING SUCCESS IN THE PUBLIC PHASE AND BEYOND
Sustained fundraising success requires consistent planning for the future. Just as organizations prepare for their campaign public phase during the quiet phase, it is equally important to establish systems to ensure proper gift acknowledgement and data integrity during the public stage. Internal capacity building can be one of the most impactful, enduring efforts of any campaign.
CFA guides our clients to ensure gift recognition processes, donor data entry, and reporting systems are prepared and ready for an influx of gifts. These vital systems provide real-time insights to inform fundraising strategies while enabling sustained donor engagement and stewardship post-campaign. With accurate donor records and consistent donor moves management strategies, organizations will be positioned to sustain future fundraising success.
CONTACT US
Campaigns are an extensive undertaking that require a balance of organizational strategy, experience, and stamina. At CFA, we have partnered with more than 100 organizations throughout the planning, execution, and sustaining of transformative campaigns. If your organization is interested in support to launch a successful campaign, contact CFA today to explore how we can help.
Anne Spears, Senior Manager of Campaigns
An experienced fundraiser with over a decade of experience in education, religious, and social service based nonprofit fundraising, Anne is passionate about the work being done by nonprofit organizations. She is energized and inspired by working side by side with our nonprofit partners as a project manager for fundraising campaigns.
Most recently Anne was the Director of Development at the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas where she oversaw a multitude of initiatives including capital campaigns for Diocesan camp facilities from the South Texas Coast to the Colorado Rockies, campaigns to assist asylum seekers traveling from Mexico to the U.S., and consulted with the 87 Diocesan churches regarding their fundraising needs.
Previously Anne was the Chief Development Officer for Ascension DePaul Services of San Antonio and the Development Coordinator at St. Thomas Early Learning Center in College Station, Texas. She also worked for the State of Montana as a social services specialist serving indigenous and rural populations.
Anne has a B.S. in Sociology, a M.S. in Family and Child Studies, along with a Master of Public Administration. She also is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Anne lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and three children.
Kendall Carlson, Content Writer
A frequent contributor to CFA’s digital content, Kendall Carlson has spent her career advancing nonprofit organizations across the Twin Cities. With 16 years of experience, Kendall brings a balance of strategic and operational leadership spanning fundraising, program development, evaluation, and strategic planning.
Most recently, Kendall served as Development and Communications Director at Hired, where she diversified revenue for the organization’s $11M budget and increased individual giving by 60%, led a rebrand, and launched an organization-wide data for impact initiative. Prior to Hired, Kendall served at Greater Twin Cities United Way, where she led an advancement strategy team to increase investment and engagement from the organization’s top corporate and major donors. Kendall is known as a strategic, solution-oriented leader with a high capacity for detail and commitment to quality. She launched her consulting practice, Luminate Consulting, in 2022 to bring her skills in fundraising and program strategy to nonprofits seeking sustainable growth.
