What does online fundraising really cost you?
Industry estimates tell you little about your organization. In the Online Benchmark we start a test run with Meta ads and manage it from start to finish. After about 8 weeks, Daisy gets in touch on her own, with your own numbers.
- A short briefing
- Your approval
- About 8 weeks
How Daisy reports back after 8 weeks
An example from the product, shortened. The numbers are made up, not a real run.
Daisy manages the Meta campaigns and will reach out as soon as results are available.
Your test has been running for 8 weeks. I've analysed the Meta campaigns, community members and first donations. Here is the overview and my recommendation for next steps.
What this means: A community member costs €11 and breaks even after about 13 months. After that, they generate income without any further cost.
| Step | Budget |
|---|---|
| 1 · Build the foundationCommunity Engine and Donation Engine: reach interested people directly as community members and convert them into donors and monthly donors. Less reliance on Meta. | approx. 60% |
| 2 · Grow on performanceIncrease budget only where early signals show that cost per monthly donor is below their value of approximately €190 in year one. | approx. 40% |
Goal: With every campaign, you build more of your own community and reduce your reliance on Meta.
Shall I draw up the plan for the next 6 months?
What happens if you only have estimates?
You plan with other people's values
Whether they fit your organization, you only know once the budget is spent.
The budget comes from the gut
Without the cost per monthly donor you decide by feeling whether online should grow.
The break-even stays open
You do not know when the costs are paid back, and you cannot show it to your board.
How the Online Benchmark works
Briefing
We briefly clarify goal, audience and framework.
Approval
You approve the test run and its framework.
Test run
We start it and manage it from start to finish.
Daisy gets in touch
After about 8 weeks you get the evaluation on her own initiative.
What you get: your own online numbers
- The cost per community member (interested people you can reach directly, for example via WhatsApp)
- The cost per monthly donor
- The break-even: when the costs are paid back
- A proposal for what to do next
You get numbers from your own test run instead of industry estimates. The test run shows what is possible for you. It is not a guarantee for later results.
Your effort: a short briefing and your approval. We take care of the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is an online fundraising benchmark?
A reference value for your organization: what does it cost you to win new donors and monthly donors online? In the Online Benchmark we determine it with a test run of your own instead of industry estimates.
How long does the Online Benchmark take?
About 8 weeks. Then Daisy gets in touch on her own with the evaluation.
What does my team have to do?
Give a short briefing and approve the test run. We take care of management and evaluation.
What are community members?
Interested people you can reach directly, for example via WhatsApp, the channel with the highest response rate.
Do I need the Tailwind Check first?
No. It is the smaller first step (2 exports, 15 minutes, 3 days). You decide about the benchmark afterwards.
Does the benchmark guarantee results?
No. It shows you your own numbers. What you do with them is up to you.
Want to know what online costs you?
Pick a time. 15 minutes are enough for the briefing.
Discuss the Online Benchmark →