You know the old adage about “the best laid plans….” No matter how stunningly creative or deeply practical your fundraising plan may be, it’s all for naught if you don’t create just the right circumstances for it to succeed. A fundraising plan can fail for all kinds of reasons. Most of those reasons have nothing to do with the quality of the plan itself.
Here are some suggestions for how to get your ducks in a row so that your 2011 fundraising plan doesn’t end up gathering dust on a shelf:
Build Consensus. Make sure the people who can make your plan work agree that a fundraising plan is necessary and, just as importantly, that adherence to a plan is essential. Consensus-building is not a moment in time, but an ongoing process of reporting on fundraising progress, sharing fundraising projections, and educating board, executive leadership and other staff about the principles of a good fundraising program. When was the last time you did an “in-service” on the basics of direct mail, or major gifts strategies, or how the donor pyramid works?
Engage the Players. Hold planning sessions, gain feedback, run ideas past people. The person who plans alone, implements alone. Establish ownership and enthusiasm by actively – and genuinely – soliciting input from those whose help you’ll need.
Allocate Resources. Have a fundraising budget and determine the human and other resources necessary for pulling off the plan. You’ll need to convince the financial decision-makers at your organization that there’ll be pay-off for these investments. Those pay-offs may take a few years to materialize, so be sure to present the long-term value of building a strong and loyal donor pool.
Know where you’re starting. Understand how every aspect of your fundraising program has performed in the past and know the patterns and habits of your donor database. Analysis is time-consuming, but without it you’re operating in the dark.
Know where you’re going. A good fundraiser has a strategic bent. Look first at the big picture, the “forest” if you will. Set strategic goals first, then establish implementation strategies. Don’t get caught in the trap of creating a plan from the bottom up. For example, start with goals like “increase donor retention rate from 70% to 85%.” Then move on to tactical issues like “send two extra stewardship letters this year to build donor loyalty.”
Step away from the concept of fundraising and look at these five suggestions. They could just as easily be about leadership. If you want your fundraising plan to succeed, establish yourself not as the “planner,” but as the “leader” and you’re sure to see your plans blossom!
For more on how to develop a fundraising plan, join us for the next Front Range Source workshop:
Follow the Yellow Brick Road! How to Create a Fundraising Plan
December 8, 2010. 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. REI Community Room, Boulder.
