The Trustee Chair of a Development Committee recently asked Raybin Associates to assist in designing a fund-raising plan for the next three months.

We answered the question with a question (remember, we're consultants!):
“What is the overall plan?” There wasn't one. So, we worked with the Development Committee and the Director of Development to create a 12-month fund-raising plan and then detailed all of the tasks for the first quarter. Now they know what they're doing for these three months AND all of the activities are designed to help the organization meet its annual goals. We’ll continue to work with them to flesh out the details of the remaining 9 months.

 

Good planning takes time. And, with the new fiscal year upon us, now is a good time to begin.

Write down your goals for the coming year. Then write down and sequence all of the tasks that need to be accomplished to achieve these goals. Determine who has the responsibility for each task and what the deadlines should be.

Hints:

• Build in some extra time.
• Begin with activities from this year's schedule that you know will occur again next year.

While your memory is fresh, identify the glitches of the past year and their causes. Did you miss a mailing deadline because everyone got so involved with an annually recurring special event that there was no time to get the mailing out? If so, pencil in hiring a temp for the coming year.

Anticipate the crunch times in advance and discuss the possible options for better management and solutions now. Planning ahead will save time, energy, and money down the road. It will also keep your operation running smoothly.

If you know there's going to be one, address ways to meet a budgetary shortfall now, not next May.

Mid-June to mid-August tend to be slower times for actual fund-raising. Personal solicitations slack off in the summer. So, too, does most mail. While special events may peak in summer communities, it's time out for organizations in other locations. So, summer is the perfect time to polish your work plan, thereby ensuring the coming year's success and your own sanity.

 

Download sample charts:
Development Plan (Word document)
Crunch Time Chart (Word document)