How to Create a New Campaign
Overview
The CauseMatch Dashboard allows you to create and launch fundraising campaigns that donors can discover and contribute to. This article walks you through the initial campaign setup, from naming your campaign to setting your fundraising goal and dates. Once your campaign is created, you can further customize its design, donation options, and checkout experience in separate steps.
Who Can Use This?
This feature is available to users with the Client or Client Admin role.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have the following ready before creating a campaign:
An active CauseMatch Dashboard account with Client or Client Admin access
The legally registered name of your nonprofit organization
Your organization’s Tax ID or EIN (Employer Identification Number)
Your organization name as you want it displayed publicly on the campaign page (this may differ from the legal name)
A fundraising goal amount and currency in mind
Your campaign start and end dates
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1 — Open the Campaigns Section
Log in to your CauseMatch Dashboard
In the left navigation menu, click Campaigns
Click the Add new Campaign button (top right of the page)
Step 2 — Fill in Your Campaign Details (Start Tab)
You’ll be taken to the campaign editor’s Start tab. Fill in the following fields:
Campaign Name: An internal name to identify your campaign. This is used in your dashboard only.
Organization Name: The name that will appear publicly on your campaign page
Page Language: Select the default language for your campaign page
Page Link: Type a short, unique slug for your campaign link. Your full campaign URL will be shown as a preview (e.g., causematch.com/your-slug). The URL must be unique; the system will check this automatically.
Once all fields are complete, click Save & Let’s Start!
Tip: Choose your Page Link carefully. Once donors start visiting your campaign, changing the URL may break shared links.
Step 3 — Set Your Fundraising Goal (Goals Tab)
You’ll be taken to the Goals tab. Enter:
Goal Amount: Your fundraising target (e.g., 50,000)
Goal Currency: The primary currency for your campaign (e.g., USD, EUR, ILS)
Optional — Enable Donation Matching:
If your campaign has a matching donor or sponsor, toggle Matching and select a match ratio (e.g., 2:1 means every $1 donated becomes $2). The system will automatically adjust the displayed goal.
Optional — Set Up Bonus Goals:
Bonus Goals are additional fundraising milestones that activate once your primary goal is reached. They help maintain donor momentum and keep your campaign exciting after hitting your initial target.
To add a Bonus Goal, toggle on Bonus Goal. You can configure up to 2 bonus rounds:
For each bonus round, fill in:
Bonus Goal Amount: The additional amount you want to raise in this round (e.g., $30,000 on top of your primary goal)
Enable Bonus Goal Matching: Toggle on if this bonus round also has matching funds available, then select the match ratio (1x, 1.5x, 2x, 3x, or 4x)
Activation Type: Choose when this bonus round starts:
Activate automatically once the previous goal is reached: the bonus round turns on as soon as the prior goal is hit
Activate now: the bonus round is visible to donors immediately, even before the previous goal is reached
Note: Bonus Round 2 can only be configured after Bonus Round 1 is set up. Each round activates sequentially. Round 2 activates after Round 1’s goal is reached. Example: Primary goal: $50,000 → Bonus Round 1: $30,000 (2x match, auto-activates at $50k) → Bonus Round 2: $25,000 (no match, auto-activates when Round 1 is complete). Donors see each milestone as the campaign progresses.Click Save when done.
Step 4 — Set Your Campaign Dates (Dates Tab)
Go to the Dates tab and configure your campaign timeline:
Make sure the Campaign Dates toggle is turned on
Set your Start Date and Time: when the campaign goes live to donors
Set your End Date and Time: when the campaign closes
Select your Timezone from the dropdown
The system will display a visual timeline showing the total duration of your campaign.
Click Save when done.
Note: End date must be after start date.Note: Each time you click Save, a confirmation pop-up will appear letting you know your changes have been saved successfully. Your changes are only saved once you see this confirmation. Make sure not to close or navigate away before it appears.Step 5 — Your Campaign is Created
Your campaign is now created and saved in Draft status. It is not yet visible to donors.
At any point after your campaign is first saved, you can click the Preview button in the editor header to open your campaign page in a new tab and see how it looks to donors so far.
Before submitting for review, complete the remaining configuration:
Customize the design: Update your campaign’s banner images, colors, and page layout (see: Designing Your Campaign Page, Setting Up Giving Levels and Perks, and Configuring Campaign Payments and Checkout)
Configure payments: Connect a payment gateway so donors can complete transactions
When your campaign is ready, submit it for review:
Click the Send for Review button on your campaign page
Your campaign status changes to Waiting for Review
The CauseMatch team will review your campaign within 1 business day (Sunday to Friday)
You will be notified of one of two outcomes:
Approved: Your campaign goes live and is immediately accessible to donors
Requested Changes: The CauseMatch team will indicate what needs to be updated. Make the required changes and click Send for Review again to resubmit.
Note: You can continue editing your campaign while it is in Waiting for Review. If you make changes after submitting, your campaign page will show an “Unpublished Changes” alert. You will need to resubmit for review for those changes to go live.
Note: You can continue editing your campaign while it is in Waiting for Review. If you make changes after submitting, your campaign page will show an “Unpublished Changes” alert. You will need to resubmit for review for those changes to go live.
Tips & Best Practices
Name your campaigns consistently. Use a naming convention (e.g., Organization Name — Year — Campaign Type) so your dashboard stays organized as you grow.
Set your timezone carefully. CauseMatch uses the timezone you select to determine exactly when your campaign starts and ends. Donors see countdown timers based on this.
Use a memorable Page Link. Keep it short and easy to share (e.g., /spring-gala-2026 rather than /spring-fundraising-campaign-2026).
Don’t send for review until checkout is ready. Make sure a payment gateway is connected before sending for review. Donors cannot complete donations without one.
Name your campaigns consistently. Use a naming convention (e.g., Organization Name — Year — Campaign Type) so your dashboard stays organized as you grow.
Set your timezone carefully. CauseMatch uses the timezone you select to determine exactly when your campaign starts and ends. Donors see countdown timers based on this.
Use a memorable Page Link. Keep it short and easy to share (e.g., /spring-gala-2026 rather than /spring-fundraising-campaign-2026).
Don’t send for review until checkout is ready. Make sure a payment gateway is connected before sending for review. Donors cannot complete donations without one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change my campaign’s Page Link after it’s created? A: Yes, but only before significant traffic has reached it. Once donors have shared your link, changing the URL will break those links. Contact your account admin if you need to change it after launch.
Q: Can I create a campaign without an end date? A: Yes. Toggle off the Campaign Dates option on the Dates tab. Your campaign will remain live until you manually close or deactivate it.
Q: Can I change the campaign currency after donations have been received? A: No Once donations are recorded, the primary currency is locked. If you need to make a currency change, contact CauseMatch support.
Q: Can a Client (non-admin) create a campaign? A: Yes. Both Client and Client Admin roles can create campaigns. Client Admins have additional options such as account selection and goal currency management.
Q: My campaign was created but I can’t see it publicly — why? A: Campaigns start in Draft status and are not visible to donors until they are reviewed and approved by the CauseMatch team. Complete your campaign setup (Design, Products, and Checkout), then click Send for Review. Once approved, your campaign will go live automatically.
Q: How long does the review process take? A: The CauseMatch team reviews campaigns within 1 business day (Sunday to Friday). You will be notified once your campaign is approved or if changes are requested.
Q: What happens if my campaign is not approved? A: The CauseMatch team will set the status to Requested Changes and let you know what needs to be updated. Make the required changes in your dashboard and click Send for Review again to resubmit.
Q: Can I edit my campaign after submitting it for review? A: Yes. You can continue making changes while your campaign is in Waiting for Review. However, any changes made after submission will show an “Unpublished Changes” alert, and you will need to resubmit for review for those changes to be reflected on your live campaign.
Q: How do I add a matching donor to my campaign? A: On the Goals tab, enable the Matching toggle and select a matching ratio. This reflects the matching on your campaign page automatically.
Q: What is a Bonus Goal and when should I use it? A: A Bonus Goal is an additional fundraising milestone that activates after your primary goal is reached. It is useful for keeping donor momentum going once your main target is hit. You can add up to 2 bonus rounds, each with its own goal amount, optional matching, and activation timing. Set them up on the Goals tab by toggling on Bonus Goal.