10 fundraising goal tracker ideas to measure your success

For most nonprofits, fundraising campaigns are the cornerstone of success. But setting a fundraising goal isn’t enough—without tracking the success of your fundraising efforts in real time, it might be difficult to keep supporters engaged and invested in your cause.

Research shows that adding a goal tracker to your fundraising page can boost donations by up to 35%. But this is just one fundraising tracker idea. No matter what type you choose (or where you display it), a goal tracker provides a strong visual representation for donors, generating excitement and encouraging higher donation amounts.  

But how do you know which fundraising tracker idea is the right fit? Ask yourself the following questions: 

• Are your objectives clear? 🔎
• Can you update your tracker regularly? ✍️
• Is it visual and easy to find? 👀

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, you’re on the right track. Looking for a little more inspiration? Explore these tried-and-tested goal tracker ideas to maximize your fundraiser.

1. Use a fundraising thermometer 🌡️

Show your supporters exactly how close you are to reaching your goal with a fundraising thermometer. 

With Givebutter, your thermometer updates automatically as donations roll in—no manual work required. You can even display it front and center on your website or event screen using live display, so every gift feels like a win in real time.

💛 Best for: All nonprofits

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Easy

2. Use an image related to your cause 🖼️

Instead of a thermometer, use an image that represents your cause. 

For example, if you’re raising money to build homes for families after a natural disaster, display a black-and-white illustration of a house that gradually fills in with color as you advance toward reaching your goal. 

💛 Best for: Nonprofits fundraising for a specific project 

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Medium

3. Create a puzzle 🧩

Turn a meaningful photograph or artwork into a puzzle that represents your fundraising goal. With each donation made, let your supporters add a piece to the puzzle until it’s complete and your goal is revealed.  

💛 Best for: All nonprofits

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Medium

4. Include mission-focused milestones 🪧

Don’t just focus on your ultimate goal—highlight fundraising milestones you hit along the way. 

For example, if you’re fundraising to build a school, your tracker might indicate when you’ve raised enough for textbooks. The next milestone may be benches and bookshelves, and the final one could represent an entire classroom. 

💛 Best for: Organizations fundraising for large-scale projects

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Medium

Dive deeper

Learn how to set a fundraising goal in just a few steps →

5. Use an interactive map 🗺️

If your campaign involves different parts of the country or world, use an interactive map to show which region has raised the most for your cause. Fill in different parts of the map as donations come in to show which areas are leading the charge. 

💛 Best for: Nonprofits with a national or international support base

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Medium to advanced

6. Craft a countdown clock ⏱️

If your fundraiser has a time limit, feature a countdown clock to create urgency and motivate donors to act. Don’t forget to feature your fundraising goal so supporters can see what your nonprofit hopes to achieve. 

💛 Best for: Time-bound fundraising campaigns

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Easy

7. Combine online and in-person goal tracking💻

Do you have fond memories of trying fun goal tracker ideas for school fundraisers? Bring this sense of nostalgia and community to your nonprofit with a physical goal tracker. 

Share a weekly image of your tracker on social media to expand your reach, and pair it with an online fundraising thermometer for greater impact. With Givebutter, it’s easy to display both.

💪 Pro Tip: If you display a tracker donation widget on your landing page, make sure it’s optimized for mobile. In recent years, mobile donations have increased by 205%! 

💛 Best for: Nonprofits with a central location

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Medium to advanced

8. Chronicle your fundraising journey 🛣️

Sometimes, it’s about the journey, not just the destination. Illustrate your fundraising goals as a road trip or race. With every donation, move a car (or person, bus, or cyclist) further down the road toward your fundraising destination. 

Bonus points if your map’s theme relates to your mission!

💪Pro Tip: Incorporate storytelling into your map. Sharing your mission, motivation, and aspirations with your donors in a compelling way is essential for strengthening your support base. 

💛 Best for: All nonprofits

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Easy to medium

More to explore

12 best donation form examples to inspire your nonprofit →

9. Partner with a local artist👩‍🎨

Collaborate with a local artist to design a one-of-a-kind goal tracker that sets you apart from the crowd. Not only will you create something eye-catching, but you’ll also reach new potential donors by tapping into the artist’s network of followers. 

Look to your support base for potential collaborators—this will help strengthen existing bonds. 

💛 Best for: Nonprofits with a creative or cultural mission 

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Advanced

10. Pie charts 🥧

Let your supporters enjoy their piece of the pie. Show how each contribution helps make up the whole of your fundraising goal. Consider using different colors to highlight individual donations. 

💛 Best for: All nonprofits

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Easy

11. Hidden door achievements🚪

Take inspiration from holiday advent calendars to create a hidden-door chart. For each fundraising target you hit, let a donor open the corresponding door on your board to reveal how their contribution is making an impact. 

💛 Best for: Nonprofits with a wide-ranging mission

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Advanced

Get inspired

280+ nonprofit fundraising ideas to help you reach your goals →

Surpass your goals with Givebutter

Whether you opt for an in-person or online fundraising goal tracker, or use a combination of the two, sharing your ongoing progress with your supporters is sure to generate buzz. 

Goal tracking can be as simple as adding a fundraising thermometer to your fundraising page. It can also be as elaborate as creating a collaborative piece of artwork to display in your nonprofit’s headquarters. 

Whichever route you choose, progress tracking offers your supporters transparency, a common goal to work toward, and a shared sense of achievement. Ready to turn your goal-setting into reality?

Create your free Givebutter account and start tracking every milestone toward your mission.

I have used Givebutter for FIVE annual fundraisers now at three different organizations. I love the giving thermometer. I love that it has the ability to sell tickets, run a silent auction, and the gamification aspect of creating fundraising teams. Everything feels customizable, and I can easily have all of my data in one place when all is said and done. — Kayla T., Givebutter user

FAQs about fun goal tracking ideas

How do I track my fundraising goal?

With Givebutter, tracking your fundraising goal is effortless. Every campaign page features a built-in fundraising thermometer that updates in real-time as donations are received. Just set your goal, share your page, and watch your progress grow—no manual tracking required.

What can I use instead of a fundraising thermometer? 

Alternative fundraising thermometer ideas include using an interactive map, puzzle pieces, or an image related to your mission. You can also experiment with both digital and physical fundraising goal trackers. 

Physical trackers work especially well for nonprofits operating from a centralized location. 

What are the alternatives to thermometer charts? 

Pie charts, road maps, and countdown clocks are all great alternatives to thermometer charts.  

What are some SMART goal ideas? 

SMART fundraising goals for nonprofits are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. 

For example, an organization might set a SMART goal to raise $10K through social media and peer-to-peer fundraising within one month.