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  4. Understand: What You Need Before Creating a Campaign

Understand: What You Need Before Creating a Campaign

Set yourself up for success before you start building your fundraiser.

Before you begin Campaign Setup, it helps to think through three things: what type of fundraiser you’re running, whether you want to start from a blank Campaign, use a template, or have RallyUp build it for you, and the key details you’ll want to enter along the way. Taking a few minutes up front will make your setup much smoother.

Prerequisites

Before you can create a Campaign, you’ll need a RallyUp account with your organization registered. If you haven’t done this yet, start here:

How-to: Get Started by Creating an Account and Registering Your Organization

What type of fundraiser am I running?

When you create a Campaign, you’ll choose one or more fundraising Components — the activities that make up your fundraiser. Common options include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Raffles — Sell entries and draw winners
  • Auctions — Run a Live or Silent Auction with item bidding
  • Crowdfunding — Collect one-time or recurring donations toward a fundraising goal
  • Ticketing & Registration — Manage ticket sales and registrations for in-person or virtual events
  • Peer-to-Peer — Let supporters spread the word about your fundraiser by sharing Personal Fundraising Pages with friends and family

You can combine multiple Components in a single Campaign — for example, pairing a ticketed event with a Silent Auction and a donation drive.

📝 Note: Not sure which Components are right for your fundraiser? Understand: RallyUp Fundraising Portfolio walks through each option in detail, including which Components are available on each pricing plan.

Should I start with a blank Campaign, use a template, or have RallyUp build it for me?

When you select NEW CAMPAIGN, you’ll be asked whether you want to create your Campaign yourself or let RallyUp build it for you. If you decide to create your Campaign yourself, you can start with an Instant Fundraiser Template or a blank Campaign.

  • Create My Campaign: submit a request and let RallyUp’s team build your Campaign for you, for free, in about one business day. Choose this option if you want someone else to handle the initial setup process. → Understand: Create My Campaign
  • Instant Fundraiser Template: comes with settings pre-filled for common fundraiser types. If you’re new to RallyUp or running a standard fundraiser, a template is the fastest way to get started. → Understand: Instant Fundraiser Templates
  • Blank Campaign: gives you full control over every setting from the start. Choose this option if your fundraiser has specific requirements or requires complete oversight from start to finish.

You can customize all settings regardless of which option you choose — Create My Campaign requests and templates are a starting point, not a constraint.

What information should I have ready?

Gathering the following before you start will help you move through Campaign Setup without interruption:

  • Campaign name — A short, descriptive title for your fundraiser
  • Campaign description — A few sentences explaining what you’re raising funds for and why it matters to your donors
  • Campaign dates — Your start date, end date, and (if applicable) your event date and time
  • Banner image — A high-quality photo or graphic that represents your Campaign — see How-to: Format Campaign Banner Images for sizing details
  • Funding method — The Stripe or PayPal account your funds will be directed to (you can set this up in your account settings before creating your Campaign)

📝 Note: Your payment processor (Stripe or PayPal) needs to be connected to your RallyUp account before your Campaign can go live. You can set this up in your organization’s account settings at any point before publishing — you don’t need it ready before you start Campaign Setup.

💡 Tip: Once your Campaign is set up, you can request a free review from a RallyUp fundraising expert before you go live. They’ll check your configuration, presentation, and donor experience, and send you a list of personalized suggestions. See Understand: Optimize My Campaign.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m not sure which type of Campaign to run — where do I start?

Think about the primary way you want donors to engage with your fundraiser. Collecting donations online? Start with Crowdfunding. Hosting an in-person event? Add Ticketing & Registration or one of our Advanced Fundraising Components. Want to add excitement with prizes? Consider a Raffle or Auction. You can also combine Components in a single Campaign, so you’re not limited to one. Understand: RallyUp Fundraising Components walks through each option in detail.

Can I switch from a template to a blank Campaign after I start?

Once you select a starting point — template or blank — that choice is set for the current Campaign. If you’d like to start over, the easiest path is to create a new Campaign. Your account and organization settings are saved, so you won’t lose any of that work.

Do I have to have all my information ready before I begin setup?

No — you can save your progress and return to Campaign Setup at any time before going live. For example, if you don’t have your banner image or final fundraising goal ready yet, you can fill in those details later. Just make sure your Campaign name is entered before you close out of setup so you can easily find it later.

Can I test my Campaign before it goes live?

Yes. Once your Campaign is set up, you can use Draft Mode to preview the full donor experience and run test transactions before publishing. This is a good way to catch any issues before real donors see your page. See How-to: Preview and Test Your Campaigns in Draft Mode.

Keep Learning

Looking to go deeper? RallyUp’s Fundraising Education page is packed with videos, guides, and resources to help you run better Campaigns — whether you’re just getting started or looking to level up your next fundraiser.

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