Building effective marketing plans requires non-profits to develop clear and compelling marketing goals. One of the most impactful approaches is establishing SMART goals and specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives. By employing SMART goals, non-profits can ensure that their marketing efforts are strategically aligned with their broader mission and deliver tangible and meaningful outcomes.
- Also see: Navigating Non-Profit Marketing
The following table outlines sample marketing goals for non-profit marketing plans across several categories. Each category is paired with a SMART goal, providing a clear, measurable target to guide non-profit organizations in aligning marketing efforts with broader mission objectives for immediate and sustained impact.
| Category | Objective | Sample SMART Goal |
| Donations | Secure financial support to fund programs and operations. | Increase monthly donations by 15% through a targeted email campaign highlighting stories that reflect mission effectiveness. |
| Recruit Volunteers | Expand the volunteer base to support X initiative. | Recruit 50 new volunteers by the end of the quarter with a campaign focusing on rewarding aspects of volunteering. |
| Relationships | Foster loyalty among benefactors to ensure sustained support | Create a benefactor recognition program that increases repeat donations by 10% by offering exclusive updates, events, or acknowledgments |
| Partnerships | Form strategic alliances to amplify reach and impact. | Secure three new corporate partnerships within the year, with each contributing to specific projects or events. |
| Awareness to Action | Convert general awareness into specific actions (donations, volunteering, advocacy). | Implement a campaign where 5% of new website visitors take action to donate or volunteer. |
| Engagement | Increase interaction with content to foster a deeper connection with the cause. | Achieve a 30% increase in social media engagement (likes, comments, shares) on posts by implementing interactive elements like polls, Q&A sessions, and live events. Connect engagement a 10% increase in donations and volunteer in six months. |
| Advocacy and Policy Influence | Mobilize support for legislative or policy changes that align with mission. | Collect 5,000 signatures for a petition to influence policy, using a combination of online and in-person outreach in the next quarter. |