What’s Your Why?

Your fundraising campaign must begin with a statement of purpose.

As institutions plan major fundraising campaigns, they often get caught up in the mechanics—the timelines, the targets, the tactics. But your campaign’s most important question is not “how” or “how much.” It’s “why.”

And if Foster Avenue’s experience is any guide, this most important question may also be the most neglected. 

Moving Beyond “It’s Time” Campaigns

Too many institutions launch campaigns because, well, “it’s time.” Perhaps it’s been five years since the last one.  Or peers are running campaigns. Or there’s a new building to fund.

Such “how”-driven campaigns often evolve with predictable challenges:

1. They focus on “fill-anthropy”—hitting a number rather than crystallizing an aspiration
2. They build cases from the “inside-out” (what we want) rather than “outside-in” (what donors value)
3. They make the campaign about the campaign, not about a transformational vision
4. They struggle to engage mid-range donors who, in contrast to many major and close-in donors, need more than mere loyalty to stretch their gift
5. They leave fundraisers dependent on materials rather than a fluent command of the vision

The result? Underperforming campaigns that miss goals, fail to build a culture of philanthropy, and leave donors unable to articulate what the campaign was really about – all of which make the next campaign harder to achieve.

Putting Communications at the Center

It may be a daring assertion, but it’s also a simple truth: campaigns are fundamentally communication initiatives that also enable exceptional fundraising.

When communications serve as the through-line of your campaign—from planning through public launch—you create strategic clarity and connected effort. Best practices include:

1. Be audacious – Simply describing “who we are” as an institution is a recipe for campaign failure. Campaigns must be about “who you might be” – with the help of your donors.

2. Start with societal priorities, not institutional ones – What role does the world really need your institution to play? What is possible for your organization to become?

3. Identify philanthropy’s role – What part of that institutional vision is currently impossible without donor support?

4. Mind the gap – The gap between your bold possibility and your current reality is precisely what donors can be asked to fund; it’s that gap that gives shape to your campaign.

When you answer these “why” questions first, your “how” and your “how much” will become much clearer – and your team will actually feel the stakes for your campaign and fluently convey them to your constituents.

Start with Why, Succeed with Joy

By prioritizing message over mechanics and clarity over conformity, your campaign won’t just meet financial goals. It will generate the joy of generosity, fill your pipeline for future campaigns, and leave a lasting impact on your organization’s culture.

Because your campaign’s pivotal question is not “how” or “how much.” It’s “why.”

Need help developing your fundraising case statement or creating a comprehensive communications plan for your nonprofit? Contact Foster Avenue today to learn how we can help you build a why-driven campaign that inspires joy and generosity.