When Your Campaign Loses Steam: A Gentle Reset

Frances Roen
Jan 8
4 min read

Here’s what most consultants won’t tell you: Almost every campaign stalls at some point.

Timelines extend. A big prospect goes quiet. Staff turns over. Everyone gets pulled back into annual fund fires.

Then January hits and you’re staring at the numbers thinking:

“We’ve raised a decent chunk…but not as much as we hoped.”
“Are we behind? Are we okay?”
“How do we get momentum back without burning everyone out?”

If that’s you, you’re not failing.

You’re just in the messy middle—the part of the campaign most consultants don’t tell you about.

The New Year is a natural moment to reset, gently. Not with a dramatic relaunch, but with a few honest, doable shifts.

1. Re-Ground Everyone in Why This Still Matters

After a while, even the best campaign can start to feel like a spreadsheet:

“How far are we from goal?”
“What’s left to raise?”

Important questions—but not energizing.

Take time in January to revisit the heart of the project:

What problem were we trying to solve when we started?
What has changed for the people we serve since then?
What is at risk if we don’t finish? What becomes possible if we do?

Gather your leadership, a few staff, and a couple of trusted champions. Out of that conversation, capture a short internal “why now” paragraph or updated elevator pitch.

This isn’t polish for its own sake. It’s fuel—for your team, your board, and the donors you’re inviting into the story.

2. Tell the Truth About Where You Are

Nothing drains energy like pretending a campaign is “on track” when everyone knows it’s not.

Instead:

Get a clear picture of reality:
- Dollars committed
- Number of gifts at different levels
- How many real campaign conversations you’ve had
- Which prospects are moving and which are stuck
Name 3–5 things you’ve learned:
- Our original timeline was too aggressive
- Mid-level donors are more engaged than we expected
- We haven’t fully used a few key board members as connectors

Then share a calm, honest update with your board, campaign committee, and key staff:

“Here’s what we’ve raised. Here’s what we’ve learned. Here’s how we’re adjusting for the next few months.”

Clarity lowers anxiety—and invites people back into the work.

3. Shrink the Focus: Your Core 20 for the Next 90 Days

When momentum feels low, the instinct is to go broad: “We just need more donors.”

But campaigns move through a small handful of key conversations at a time.

For the next 90 days, identify your next Core 20:

15–25 households or partners who, if engaged well, could significantly move the campaign forward.

For each:

Where are they now in relation to the project? (Curious, committed, barely aware?)
What do we hope they’ll be ready to consider by spring? (Leadership gift, hosted gathering, introductions?)
What 2–3 touchpoints will we create between now and then?

Think:

An “insider” update conversation
A short follow-up email with a simple campaign brief
A visit or walk-through
A listening conversation to co-create what a meaningful gift might look like

This is co-creating in practice—you’re not dropping in with a surprise ask, you’re inviting them into the unfolding story.

4. Tighten the Next Season, Not the Whole Campaign

You do not need to re-plan the entire campaign this month.

Instead, focus on a clear plan for the next 90 days:

3 priorities, like:
- Secure X leadership/anchor conversations
- Finalize an updated working case/brief
- Confirm campaign chair(s) or a few additional champions
Specific assignments:
- Who is responsible for outreach to each name on the Core 20 list?
- Who’s tracking follow-up?
One simple “visibility moment”:
- A short update at a board meeting
- A small gathering for early donors
- A milestone moment when you hit the next marker

You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just make the next few steps real and doable.

5. Care for the Humans Carrying the Campaign

If your campaign has slowed down, your people are probably tired.

As you reset:

Name what’s currently landing on one or two shoulders.
Decide what can pause or shrink for this next season.
Consider where outside support (strategy counsel, project management, data or grant help, communications) could free staff to focus on high-value donor work.

And build in small celebrations:

Mark mini milestones (“We crossed $2.5M!”)
Thank internal staff and volunteers by name
Share early impact stories, even before the building is finished

A healthy, supported team isn’t a bonus. It’s a core campaign asset.

A New Year Blessing for Your Messy Middle

If your campaign didn’t go perfectly last year, you’re not alone.

This year doesn’t need a flashy rebrand. It needs:

A refreshed sense of why this campaign matters
Honest clarity about where you are
A focused Core 20 list
A realistic 90-day plan
Care for the humans doing the work

That’s more than enough to restart real momentum.

If You Need a Campaign Thinking Partner

If you’re looking at a half-raised goal or a tired team and wondering:

“Can we get this campaign back on track?”
“What should we update in our case or our approach?”
“How do we re-energize donors and protect our staff?”

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

This is the work we love most: walking with organizations in the messy middle of a campaign—clarifying the story, right-sizing the plan, and building a path forward that honors both your mission and your team.

Here’s to a New Year where your campaign feels less like a burden to drag across the finish line, and more like a shared effort you’re proud to invite people into.

Frances Roen is the Founder of Fundraising Sol and a fundraising consultant with two decades of experience. She is deeply passionate about relationship building, individual donor work, and supporting nonprofit professionals’ health and wellness to enable them to deliver their best work.