--- title: Understanding DashPledge Campaign Statuses description: Learn what Draft, Upcoming, Active, and Ended mean in DashPledge and how campaign dates, publishing, approval, and campaign settings affect fundraiser status. url: "https://dashpledge.com/docs/understanding-dashpledge-campaign-statuses/" updated: "2026-08-18" category: "Fundraisers & Campaigns" --- # Understanding DashPledge Campaign Statuses ## Understanding campaign statuses DashPledge uses campaign statuses to help organizers understand where a fundraiser is in its lifecycle. You can see campaign statuses in areas such as **My Campaigns**. Common campaign statuses include: - Draft - Upcoming - Active - Ended A fundraiser's status helps determine whether it is still being prepared, scheduled for the future, currently running, or completed. ## Draft A **Draft** campaign has not yet reached its active public fundraising stage. A campaign may remain in Draft while information is being prepared, reviewed, configured, or finalized. A Draft campaign should not automatically be treated as a live fundraiser. Before expecting supporters to access it, confirm that the fundraiser has completed the appropriate setup and publishing process. ## Upcoming An **Upcoming** campaign is scheduled to begin in the future. The campaign has a future start date and is not yet within its active fundraising period. Organizers can use this time to prepare for launch, including reviewing: - Campaign information - Fundraising goal - Start and end dates - Fundraiser page - Participants - Campaign settings - Communications Before launch, use **Preview Fundraiser Page** to review the supporter experience. ## Active An **Active** campaign is currently within its active fundraising period and available according to its publishing and campaign settings. During an active campaign, organizers can monitor: - Amount raised - Fundraising goal progress - Supporters - Donations - Participants - Activity progress - Leaderboards - Campaign communications - Time remaining For activity-based campaigns such as Read-a-thon and Move-a-thon, eligible participant activity can also be tracked during the campaign. ## Ended An **Ended** campaign has reached the end of its fundraising period or has otherwise been completed according to the campaign workflow. Once a campaign has ended, organizers can review available final campaign information such as: - Final amount raised - Fundraising performance - Participation - Activity results - Leaderboards - Reports Payout information is managed separately through **Payouts**. ## How do I see campaigns by status? Open **My Campaigns** from your Organizer Dashboard. The page provides status filters such as: - **All Campaigns** - **Active** - **Upcoming** - **Ended** - **Drafts** Select a filter to display campaigns in that status. The number shown with each filter indicates how many campaigns currently belong to that group. ## Is fundraiser approval the same as campaign status? No. The **fundraiser approval process** determines whether a submitted fundraiser request can move forward and be set up in DashPledge. The **campaign status** describes where an existing campaign is in its operational lifecycle. For example, an approved fundraiser can result in a campaign that is scheduled as **Upcoming** because its start date has not arrived yet. ## Does submitting Start Fundraising create an Active campaign? Not immediately. Submitting the **Start Fundraising** request begins the review and setup process. The fundraiser must complete the applicable approval and campaign setup process. Its resulting campaign status then depends on factors such as publishing state and campaign dates. ## What happens when the start date arrives? A properly configured campaign scheduled to begin on a future date can move into its active fundraising period according to the campaign workflow. Organizers should review **Campaign Health** before launch to make sure the fundraiser is ready. ## What happens when the end date arrives? When the fundraiser reaches its scheduled end, DashPledge can move the campaign out of its active fundraising period according to the campaign rules. The campaign can then appear with its completed or ended status. Activity and fundraising behavior after the end date depends on the campaign configuration. ## Can I change campaign dates? Authorized organizers may be able to manage campaign dates through: **Fundraiser Admin → Campaign Settings → Campaign Goals & Dates** Changing dates can affect campaign status, activity eligibility, communications, deadlines, and the participant experience. Review date changes carefully before saving them. ## What if my campaign shows the wrong status? First, check: - Campaign start date - Campaign end date - Publishing status - Campaign configuration - Whether you're viewing the correct campaign You can also review: **Fundraiser Admin → Campaign Settings → Campaign Health** Campaign Health can help identify publishing or readiness issues. If the dates and configuration are correct but the campaign still shows an unexpected status, contact DashPledge Support. ## Should I create another campaign if the status is wrong? No. Do not create or submit a duplicate fundraiser just to correct a campaign-status problem. The existing campaign should be reviewed and corrected. Duplicate campaigns can cause confusion with participants, fundraising pages, donations, activity, and reporting. ## What is the Danger Zone? Campaign Settings includes a **Danger Zone** for significant campaign actions. Depending on the available controls, this can include actions such as: - Close - Archive - Move to Trash These actions are different from ordinary campaign-status changes and should be used carefully. Do not use the Danger Zone simply because a campaign appears under an unexpected status. ## What is the difference between Ended and Archived? An **Ended** campaign has completed its fundraising lifecycle. An **Archived** campaign is intentionally placed into an archived state using the available campaign-management controls. Archiving is an administrative action and should not be used as a substitute for allowing a normal campaign to complete. ## What should I check before a campaign becomes Active? Before launch, review: - Campaign Overview - Campaign Goals & Dates - Activity goals, when applicable - Classroom Participation - Communication Settings - Fundraiser Page Settings - Donation Settings - Campaign Health Also use **Preview Fundraiser Page** to make sure the public fundraiser is ready. ## What's next? For more information about managing campaigns, see: - **How to Start a Fundraiser with DashPledge** - **How to Use My Campaigns** - **How to Use Campaign Settings** - **How to Track Your Fundraiser’s Progress** - **How to Share Your Organization’s Fundraiser**