10 fundraising goal tracker ideas to easily 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 thermometer goal tracker to your fundraising page can boost donations by up to 35%. But this is just one fundraising goal 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 if your fundraising goal tracker is the right fit? Ask yourself the following questions: 

• Are your objectives clear? 🔎
• Can you regularly update your goal tracker? ✍️
• Does it include a visual element? 🧑‍🎨
• Is your goal tracker easily visible to your supporters? 👀

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

1. Use a fundraising thermometer 🌡️

Include a fundraising thermometer on your fundraising page to track your fundraising progress and goals for your supporters to see. 

Many CRM platforms, including Givebutter, come with built-in fundraising thermometers that you can add with just a few clicks. 

💛 Best for: All nonprofits

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Easy

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. — Givebutter Review, Kayla T. 

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 fundraising thermometer 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

Learn more

How a fundraising goal tracker can help you hit your target →

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. 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 using goal trackers 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 an online goal tracker 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 goal tracker. For each fundraising target you hit, let a donor open the corresponding door on your goal tracker to reveal how their contribution is making an impact. 

💛 Best for: Nonprofits with a wide-ranging mission

🏋️‍♂️ Effort level: Advanced

Set 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. 

With Givebutter, using a goal tracker 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, goal 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?

Sign up for a free Givebutter account today. 

FAQs: Top questions on fundraising goal trackers

How do I track my fundraising goal?

CRM platforms like Givebutter—which offers a free fundraising thermometer—make it easy to track your progress. 

Set up a fundraising page, add your goal tracker, and let your platform handle the heavy lifting when it comes to monitoring donations. 

What can I use instead of a fundraising thermometer? 

Consider 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 is a SMART goal for fundraising? 

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.