It’s Easy to Enter

1. Confirm you are a member!

DMFA Award entries are only eligible if submitted by a member (either partner or nonprofit). If you are not a member, join today!

2. Choose what category (s)  you want to enter.

Each member organization may enter each category once. Your campaign must have launched or run between January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025, and must be a fundraising appeal from a non-profit organization with a direct request for a donation, excluding those focused on ticket or event sales. The only exception is the Stewardship category, where entries must be non-profit communications designed to thank, inform, or engage donors rather than solicit funds. 

New in 2026: To better recognize the full scope of modern fundraising, we’ve updated some of our categories. The former “Digital Acquisition” category has been expanded to become Digital, Paid Media & Outreach Acquisition, now welcoming entries that use channels such as DRTV, CTV, texting, canvassing, etc.

Additionally, we are introducing a brand new category  – Sustainer Fundraising! This category is newly created to recognize the best campaigns focused on growing recurring giving programs.

The eight categories are: 

• Digital Appeal/Renewal – Fundraising from your house file using one or more online channels. Must include an email component, but can also feature social media, texting, CTV, etc.
• **NEW** Digital, Paid Media & Outreach Acquisition – Cold-prospect acquisition using any channel other than direct mail. This includes digital, CTV, DRTV, canvassing, texting, and other emerging media.
• Direct Mail Acquisition – Cold solicitation using direct mail as the primary channel.
• Direct Mail Appeal/Renewal – Fundraising from your house file using direct mail.
• Direct Mail Mid-Level Renewal/Appeal – Fundraising from your mid-level file using direct mail.
• Multichannel – An integrated campaign that must include at least one offline component, such as direct mail or DRTV, and one online component, such as email or texting.
• Stewardship – A communication to your in-house file with no explicit fundraising ask.
• **NEW** Sustainer Fundraising – A campaign or strategy to acquire new monthly donors, convert one-time donors, or upgrade/retain existing sustainers across any online or offline channel.

To read more detail about the rules of each category, click here.

3. Watch our short Video to see how easy it is to submit.

Please note submission is the same as last year. Some dates in the video are from last year but the information is correct!!!

4. Create or Sign into your DMFA AWARDS account in REVIEWR.

This is different from your DMFA username and password. If you do not already have a REVIEWR account, you can create one here

5. Fill out the application.

6. Upload your creative.

New this year we are providing a template for you to use. The template is either in photoshop or Canva or you can create your own.

We know how much work goes into each campaign, and our goal is to ensure a consistent, high-quality presentation across all creative entries. These standards help streamline review and production, support fair judging, and ensure optimal presentation at the DMFA Awards Event and in the DMFA Entry Book.

Tip: Less is more. Avoid crowding your entry with every campaign component. Instead, highlight the key elements of your package or concept so reviewers can quickly understand the creative at a glance.

Please follow these guidelines.

Modular Canva Templates for Creative Assets

We’ve created six flexible Canva templates to help you get started, which you can access using this Canva template link.

Select your preferred layout that corresponds with the category you’re entering in. Then simply upload your creative assets and drag them into the appropriate frames. Please delete the layouts you do not plan to use.

Prefer to use Photoshop? Download our files:

• Digital file 
• Direct mail file
• Multichannel file
• General template

IMPORTANT: All entries should feature:

• Logo: Your nonprofit’s logo must appear in the bottom-right corner of each entry layout.
• Campaign Hero: Is there a photo or graphic that captures your campaign at a glance? Each entry layout includes a single hero image to help convey the core idea of your campaign. (Depending on your entry, choose from one of three image sizes: 100% width, 66% width, or 33% width).

In the application is instructions on how to export and provide a canva file.

File Naming

Please name all files using the following convention: DMFA-EntryCategory-CampaignName-SubmissionOrg

(E.g.: DMFA-Multichannel-ExampleCampaign-ExampleOrg)

Creative Sample:

Curious how this all comes together?

Direct mail sample

Digital Sample

After You Submit

1. Pay for your Submissions!

 We are once again offering an early bird rate.The fee is $100 per submission if you pay by March 3, 2026. All submissions between March 4 and March 18, 2026 are $175. After you submit, you can click over to pay on our site. Payment not received or postmarked by March 18, 2026 will invalidate your application. Please note that if you are a nonprofit, you can contact us if you have an issue with the funds to cover the entrance fee.

2. Register

Attend the DMFA Awards Celebration and Annual Membership Meeting on June 4, 2026 to vote for the final winners and see if you won! This year a panel of prestigious judges will select the top three submissions from each category and then the final winner will be voted on at the event by one representative of each member organization in attendance.

3. Reap the Benefits of Winning.

Winners of the DMFA Awards are featured throughout the year by the DMFA. They will receive:

1. Receive special recognition right after the DMFA Awards Celebration in June.
2. Recognition in the June eNewsletter sent to DMFA members and friends and the Fall print newsletter.
3. Acknowledgement in all DMFA social channels.
4. Prominent display on the DMFA website.
5. Cash Awards for Nonprofit Winners. First place winners will receive a cash award of $300 for their charity of choice.
6. A winners logo to put on their website indicating that they won this prestigious award.
7. A plaque commemorating their achievement.

LOG IN TO ENTER