Fundraising Starts with a Plan!
Although planning can seem overwhelming, it’s not really a difficult process, yet it makes all the difference in the world in the success you will enjoy in raising big money. You want that, right? Sandy Rees makes it simple for you and shares the 9 steps to creating a powerful fundraising plan.
Step 1. Start where you are.
Before you can create goals to work toward, you need to know where you are. Anytime you look at a map, you first have to find your starting point. Do a quick inventory of what’s working and what isn’t in your fundraising efforts. An honest assessment of your current situation can lay the foundation for moving forward.
Step 2. Identify your assets.
What have you got to work with? Great connections? Compelling cause? Something else? Once you know your strengths, you’ll know what you have that you can leverage.
Step 3. Identify your donors.
List all the groups you will be asking for donations - friends, family, colleagues, service providers (ie your hair dresser, doctor, dentist, mechanic etc.). No matter which fundraising techniques you use whether staright donations or fundraising events, you need to include these groups in your plan.
Step 4. Choose your strategies.
Pick out the fundraising strategies you want to use that will get you the most donations for the least investment of time, energy, and money, for the greatest long-term gain. Be very purposeful in your choices. Make sure they will work for you and support your targets.
Step 5 Set your goals.
Once you know which strategies you’ll choose, set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.
Step 6. Create a plan of action.
This may be the most important step! The action plan gives you detailed steps that must be taken in order to reach your goals. It tells you when you will do each step and any support or resources that are needed.
Step 7. Work the plan.
Taking action is the difference between wildly successful fundraisers and those that struggle. You want to be a successful? Implement. Do stuff. Take action on your plan.
Step 8. Monitor the plan.
Review your plan frequently to see how things are going. If you don’t ever evaluate your plan, there’s no point in creating one in the first place.
Step 9. Refine as needed.
Your plan should not be carved in stone. Things change. Adjust your plan as often as necessary to achieve your goals and hit your targets.
Main article content sourced from: www.gailperry.com
Looking for more ideas? Join us for our free fundraising webinar on November 7th, check out past editions of Pacesetter, connect with other fundraisers on the Team Diabetes facebook page and contact us!