Charity Fundraising: Annual Campaigns

Annual campaigns are the workhorses of the fundraising world. Best described as a campaign conducted each year for the purpose of raising money to assist in paying a nonprofit organization's regular, ongoing expenses, it is usually an organization's primary source of unrestricted contributed income and a mainstay of its fund-raising efforts. In addition to raising funds, the campaign's regular nature also helps an organization raise awareness and acceptance of its work, to developing a base of knowledgeable volunteers, and to build a base of regular donors. Giving to annual campaigns is a great way to generally support an organization. If you are particular about how your money is used, however, you might want to have a longer conversation with the organization about how and when to make your donation (for example, if you want your money to go specifically to buying books for poor children, rather than for paying for the organization's more general operating expenses). *Do not underestimate the value of contributing to annual campaigns –without them, most charities would not be able to exist.