Welcome to Step 4 of our 4-Step Fundraising Process: Launching Your Fundraising Campaign.

We've come a long way together. In Step 1, you identified and built your list of ideal funders. In Step 2, you created a rock-solid fundraising plan with your irresistible offer. In Step 3, you recruited and equipped your team, including volunteers, interns, and board members, with the materials needed to execute. Now, it's time for the exciting finale: launching your fundraising campaign. This step is all about action—leading your team to bring everything to life and turn your plan into real results.

Launching isn't just about flipping a switch; it's about guiding your team through consistent execution of the fundraising plan of care you developed. When done right, it creates momentum, builds lasting relationships, and generates sustainable funding. The beauty is, with the systems we'll set up here, your campaign can run smoothly even when you're not micromanaging every detail. You'll focus on leadership, accountability, and smart automation to keep things moving. By the end of this video, you'll know exactly how to kick things off and maintain the engine.

Let's dive in. I'll explain each part of the launch process, why it's essential, and how to implement it. As always, start with personal brainstorming, then leverage your team and tools, such as AI, for increased efficiency.

First, hold an onboarding meeting for your team and board.

This is your campaign kickoff—a virtual or in-person gathering where you align everyone on the plan. Discuss each step of execution in detail: Review the prospect list from Step 1, the goal, offer, and four-step engagement process from Step 2 (Get Them to Know You, Get Them to Like You, Get Them to Trust You, and Make the Ask), and the roles, materials, and budget from Steps 2 and 3.

Why important? Without alignment, efforts fragment—someone might skip building trust and jump to the ask, killing potential donations. This meeting builds excitement, clarifies responsibilities, and sets expectations for accountability.

To do it: Schedule it within a week of completing Step 3. Prepare an agenda: 1) Mission recap and goal reminder. 2) Walk through the four-step process with examples (e.g., "For a Benefit category business, start with an intro email sharing a relevant case study."). 3) Assign prospects—divide your 30-50 list among team members based on strengths (e.g., board for personal networks). 4) Demo materials like email templates. 5) Set timelines (e.g., contact 10 prospects/week). Conclude with Q&A and a motivational message: "Together, we're transforming lives."

Brainstorm personally: Jot down your agenda outline and key talking points. Spend 10 minutes visualizing potential roadblocks (e.g., tech issues) and solutions.

Use AI: Input your plan details; it can generate a full agenda, slide deck outline, or even scripts for your presentation.

Next, execute the four-step process.

With everyone onboarded, roll up your sleeves and start engaging prospects. Lead by example—assign tasks weekly and monitor progress. For each prospect, follow the plan: Introduce (Know You), build rapport (Like You), prove impact (Trust You), then ask tailored to their category and your offer.

Why essential? This is the core of relationship-building we emphasized—no hands-out asks. It ensures high conversion by nurturing trust.

Implementation: Use a shared tool like Google Sheets or a free CRM (e.g., HubSpot) to track progress per prospect (e.g., columns for steps completed, notes). Meet weekly (15-30 minutes) to review wins and adjust.

Then, handle follow-ups for non-givers and stewardship for givers.

Not everyone says yes immediately— that's okay. For non-givers, have a gentle follow-up process: After 1-2 weeks of no response, send a value-add nudge (e.g., "Sharing this impact story that aligns with your work—thoughts?"). If still silent after 2-3 touches, move to a low-touch nurture list (quarterly updates) to keep them warm for future asks.

For givers, stewardship is key to repeat donations—treat them like VIPs. Send immediate thanks (auto if possible), share personalized updates (e.g., "Your $1,500 funded 10 Back-to-School Packs—here's a photo!"), and invite deeper involvement (e.g., events, advisory roles). Aim for 4-6 touches/year to build loyalty.

Why important? Follow-ups recover 20-30% of potential "nos," while good stewardship can double lifetime value—turning one-time donors into lifelong supporters.

Brainstorm: List 3-5 follow-up tactics and stewardship ideas per donor type.

Engage your board members in stewardship.

Boards are gold for this— they add a personal touch that feels authentic. Assign donors monthly: Distribute givers among board members (e.g., 5-10 per member, based on their connections). Provide scripts and processes: For calls, "Hi [Donor], as a board member, I wanted to personally thank you for your support and share how it's making a difference." For handwritten notes, templates like "Dear [Donor], Your generosity transformed [specific impact]. We'd love to keep you updated—any thoughts on our next program?" Guide them on frequency (e.g., quarterly) and goals: Encourage upgrades or referrals to help donors give repeatedly.

Why? Boards foster emotional bonds, increasing retention by 50% or more. It also keeps them engaged in your mission.

Implementation: Create a stewardship calendar and share via email or a tool like Trello.

Hold each team member, including the board, accountable.

Accountability turns plans into results. Set clear KPIs (e.g., "Contact 5 prospects/week," "Send 3 stewardship notes/month"). Utilize check-ins: hold weekly team huddles and monthly board reports. Celebrate wins (e.g., shoutouts) and address misses gently (e.g., "What support do you need?").

Why essential? Without it, tasks slip—accountability ensures consistent execution and team growth.

Brainstorm: Define 2-3 metrics per role.

Finally, automate where you can using technology.

This is a game-changer for sustainability—your campaign runs even when you're not there. Utilize free/low-cost tools: Email automation (Mailchimp for drip sequences, such as intro/follow-up series), call scheduling (Calendly for meetings), and auto thank-yous (via donation platforms like Donorbox). Integrate with CRM for reminders (e.g., auto-nudge for stewardship).

Why? Automation saves time (up to 50%), reduces errors, and scales efforts—freeing you for high-touch leadership.

Brainstorm: List 3-5 automatable tasks from your plan.

To launch: After onboarding, set a start date (e.g., next Monday). Monitor for 4-6 weeks, tweak as needed. Track overall progress toward your goal—celebrate milestones!

This wraps our 4-step process. You've built a complete, repeatable fundraising system—from prospects to ongoing revenue. Congratulations—you're equipped to fund your mission sustainably.

If you have any questions, email me at [your email]. If you need hands-on help to set up and execute this process, email me too—we can get you into my One-Day Challenge, where we set up your entire fundraising system in one day and execute together to create the funding results you seek.

Thank you for joining—go launch and make an impact! If this helped, share with a fellow nonprofit leader. See you in your success stories.