Why Charities Must Set Revenue Goals for Fundraisers

In the world of fundraising, it’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring activity rather than outcomes. A common misconception is that if fundraisers are out meeting donors, they must be performing well. But any experienced fundraising leader knows that busyness does not equal effectiveness. Charities must move beyond counting donor visits and instead focus on what truly matters: delivering meaningful, measurable outcomes that advance the mission. This starts with setting clear revenue goals as part of the KPIs for every fundraiser.

Fundraising Is a Comprehensive, Multi-Step Process

Fundraising is not just about asking for money. It is a structured, strategic process that involves:

• Identification: Researching and qualifying prospects who have both the affinity and capacity to give.
• Cultivation: Building genuine relationships through personalized engagement, communications, and involvement.
• Solicitation: Making tailored, strategic asks that align donor interests with organisational priorities.
• Stewardship: Thanking, reporting back, and continuing to engage donors to encourage long-term loyalty and increased giving.

Each of these phases requires discipline, planning, and a focus on progression—not just face-to-face meetings. A well-rounded fundraiser drives donor relationships forward and ultimately secures commitments that fuel the charity’s work.

Individual KPIs Must Be Tied to Revenue

Without revenue goals, fundraising teams risk becoming overly focused on process metrics like the number of calls made or meetings booked. While these actions are important, they are merely leading indicators. The ultimate measure of success is money raised for the cause.

This is why individual KPIs should be a balanced mix of:

• Activity metrics (e.g., number of meaningful contacts, cultivation events attended)
• Pipeline metrics (e.g., number of qualified prospects, proposals submitted)
• Revenue metrics (e.g., dollars raised, percentage of target achieved)

By tying individual performance to clear financial targets, charities ensure every fundraiser remains aligned with the organisational bottom line.

Team Goals Create Collective Accountability

Fundraising is not a solo sport. Successful fundraising teams share accountability for revenue outcomes. Team KPIs ensure that individuals work together towards broader organisational goals. This includes:

• Coordinating on cultivation strategies
• Sharing prospect intelligence
• Supporting cross-team initiatives like events and campaigns

Team goals encourage collaboration, avoid silos, and ensure a coordinated approach to fundraising that maximizes impact.

Fundraising Without Revenue Goals? A Recipe for Failure.

Fundraising without revenue goals is like running a business without sales targets. It’s a directionless exercise that can lead to complacency, weak pipelines, and ultimately, missed opportunities to advance the mission. Charities exist to deliver impact, and impact is directly tied to the funds they can raise.

Setting clear, realistic, and aspirational revenue goals:

• Focuses fundraisers on what matters most
• Provides management with accountability and forecasting clarity
• Ensures the organisation has the resources it needs to deliver on its promises

Fundraising is not just about showing up to donor meetings. It’s about driving outcomes through a disciplined, relationship-centered approach. Charities that set individual and team KPIs—anchored by revenue goals—create a performance-driven culture that fuels mission success.

In today’s competitive fundraising landscape, charities can’t afford to leave money on the table. It’s time to get focused, get accountable, and get serious about measuring what really matters.