Funding Tracker Template

About the Funding Tracker template

A funding tracker -- also known as a donation thermometer, goal thermometer, fundraising thermometer, or donation tracker -- is an integral part of any fundraising campaign. Funding trackers help non-profits and other organizations track their progress toward a fundraising goal. By easily visualizing your milestones and goals, you can raise more money and keep your team on task.

How to use the Funding Tracker template

The funding tracker template empowers you to raise more money for your organization. It provides an easy-to-use format for anyone who needs to track their progress toward a fundraising goal. Here are a few factors to keep in mind while using your funding template.

Step 1: Establish a fundraising goal. To set a realistic funding goal, you need to examine two factors. First, think about what you want to accomplish. Are you a nonprofit looking to raise money for a cause? Are you a startup that needs revenue to ship a product? Or are you trying to get your small business off the ground? Your fundraising goal might vary depending on the nature of your organization. Second, think about your potential donors. Will you be soliciting friends and family? The public? An investment firm? Do some research on similar organizations that have sought funding in the past, and use this research to anchor your goals.

Step 2: Sketch out a donor profile. If you have established a funding goal, then you have started to form a picture of your average donor. Flesh out that picture. How much do you expect the average donation to be? What about the upper bound? Lower bound?

Step 3: Set up benchmarks for success. Most organizations conceptualize their funding tracker as a thermometer. Label the bottom of the thermometer with the smallest amount of funding you might expect to receive. Label the top of the thermometer with the upper bound. Populate the rest of the thermometer with milestones for funding. This will help keep your team on track -- and if you share the funding tracker with the public, it will motivate donors to fund your endeavor.

Why create a Funding Tracker?

1. Track your progress. Funding trackers are an easy way to measure your progress toward fundraising goals. If you are raising funds for a charitable cause, you can expect to receive donations from a variety of sources: online donations, email, text-to-give, and snail mail, to name a few. If you are raising funds for a startup, you can expect to interface with numerous investors and investing organizations. Funding trackers allow you to keep track of your progress without losing sight of your goals.

2. Market your cause. Many organizations choose to share their funding tracker publicly. By sharing the tracker, you can keep your donors excited and motivate people to give. Donors can use the funding tracker to get a snapshot of their impact on your project. And as people give, they can share the tracker on social media.

3. Set clear goals. The funding tracker template empowers you to establish fundraising goals. Raising money for an organization or cause can be a daunting task. Establishing and visualizing a goal and benchmarks for success can keep you on track and motivated. Plus, you can adjust your goals throughout the fundraising process, add milestones, and keep track of donors.

4. Track your donors. Regardless of whether you’re a startup raising funds to grow your business, or a non-profit raising money for a good cause, you’ll need to keep track of your donors. When myriad donors are contributing using a variety of methods, it can be difficult to remember who did what and when. Keep track of your donors so you can express your gratitude when the fundraiser is over.

When to use the Funding Tracker template

Use the Funding Tracker template any time you need to raise money for an organization or cause. You might find it especially beneficial when you have multiple donations coming from a variety of sources.