Plan for Campaign Success with Project Management Best Practices

Let’s face it, anyone can get easily overwhelmed when it comes to planning their next campaign or event. But, there is a silver lining! Planning doesn’t have to be a headache. As a project manager, I believe that every plan can be confidently and successfully executed with proven project management best practices.

First, you must think of yourself as your own project manager and think of your next campaign or event as your project. When you begin your next project, simply start with defining building blocks for success. These building blocks should always include: an objective, a goal, a list of associated tasks, and the right resources to help.

Below is a proven order for defining your building blocks. They are included in a step-by-step task outline for a simple example campaign that is striving to raise funds for a playground.

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Step 1: Identify your primary objective.

Objective: To build a community playground.

Step 2: What are your goals?

– To raise $3000 to fund your effort?
– To spread awareness about your organization by campaigning?
– To attract new donors?
– To enhance the community and get involved?
* NOTE: Whatever your goal may be, it’s important to set this in the beginning so you can measure your project success against your goal.

Step 3: Set your timeline.

– The playground needs to be ready in the fall of 2015

Step 4: Make a task list to meet your objective.

Awareness Tasks:

– Mailings
– Brochures
– Flyers
– Phone-a-thon
– Social Media

Financing:

– Use Raiser’s Edge™ to track your earnings
– Draw the funds from your Financial Manager

Buying the Supplies:

– Get input from your peer organizations
– Shop online
– Read the reviews
– Call and price check
– Make the purchase

Building the Playground:

– Get volunteers for assembly
– Round up the toolbox
– Lay mulch or other landscaping
– Put up a fence

Opening the Playground:

– Invite your donor families to come play
– Serve lemonade

Once your task outline is complete, you’ll need to assign resources to each item. It will be important to track your resource progress so you can manage your overall timeline. The best practice is to set completion dates for each task. These deadlines will ensure that you’re making the necessary progress to finish on time. You can deem a project successful if you raise the necessary funding, complete all of your tasks, meet your timeline and meet your objective.

So, get out there and plan your next project successfully! If you need a little extra help, we are also here to lend a hand as your go-to team for fundraising and planning services.

Raiser’s Edge™ is a trademark of Blackbaud, Inc.