6 easy steps to creating a written fundraising plan

WELCOME!

6 Easy Steps to Creating a Written

Fundraising Plan, featuring Sandy Rees

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Our Speaker

Sandy Rees, CFRE

Fundraising and Nonprofit Coach

AFP Master Trainer

Sandy specializes in helping nonprofit organizations

raise money, develop their Boards, and ensure the

success of their missions. She is the creator of Get

Fully Funded , a system for fundraising, you can learn

more at www.getfullyfunded.com.

Sandy has authored numerous publications including

her latest “Get Fully Funded”, "Fundraising Buffet" and

"Simple Success Fundraising Plan.“ She is a frequent

contributor to Advancing Philanthropy and Inside

Fundraising Success magazines

Graduate of Tennessee Technological University

Why plan?

• Go from reactive to proactive.

• Provides a roadmap for your

fundraising.

• Gets everyone on the same page.

Direction?

If you don’t know where you’re going,

then any road will get you there.

6 Simple Steps to a Plan

1. Identify your assets.

2. Set your goals.

3. Create a plan of action.

4. Work the plan.

5. Monitor the plan.

6. Celebrate!

How much $ do you need?

Before we start to plan, you need to know

how much money you need.

What will it take to deliver service this

year?

Evaluate the past

• How did it go last year?

• How about the years prior?

• What worked well?

• What didn’t?

Strategy Last Year Two Years Ago Include in

This Year’s

Plan?

Notes

Grants $ $

Special Events $ $

Direct Mail $ $

Major Gifts $ $

Monthly Giving $ $

Lapsed Donors $ $

Online Giving $ $

Memberships $ $

Corporate sponsorships $ $

Product sales $ $

Other $ $

Total $ $

Step 1

Identify your assets

What are assets?

Organizational assets are things you have

going for you that make fundraising

easier.

Fundraising assets raise good money for

your nonprofit.

Organizational Assets

• Compelling mission

• Large public base of support

• Name recognition

• Well-known staff or Board members

• Great facility

• Others?

Fundraising assets

• Great relationships with local

foundations

• Solid direct mail program

• High traffic to your website

• Successful signature special event

• Something else?

Choose assets

Pick the ones you can best use to raise

money with this year.

Start with what you know for sure. Then

fill in the rest.

Summary Calendar Grants Events Direct

mail

Major

gifts

Marktg Comm. other

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Step 2

Set your goals

3 Fundraising Targets

1. Number of dollars to raise

2. Number of current donors to renew

3. Number of new donors to acquire

Decide on strategies

Which fundraising strategies will you use?

• Grantwriting

• Special events

• Direct Mail

• Major Gifts

• Online fundraising

• Others?

Make your goals SMART

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Attainable

R = Realistic

T = Timely

Good SMART examples

• Increase our donor base by 10% by

December 31, 2012.

• Recruit 2 new sponsors for our Golf

Tournament by October 1, 2012.

Make sure it works

Strategy Goal Dollars

to raise

#Renewed

donors

# New

Donors

Grant writing

Special events

Direct mail

Major gifts

Online fundraising

Others?

Totals $

Step 3

Create a plan of

action

Start putting it together

Fundraising Targets

Fundraising Strategies

Action Plans

For example

1. Raise $100,000

2. Renew 65% of donors

3. Acquire 500 new donors

Raise $25,000 - grants.

Raise $50,000 - major gifts. Raise $25,000 – individual donors (event, direct mail, online giving)

Action Plans

Strategy Details

Strategy Descrip. Target

Audience

$ Goal Cost? Who will

do?

By

when?

Grants

Events

Direct

mail

Major

gifts

Online

giving

Other?

For example Strategy Descrip. Target

Audience

$ Goal Cost? Who will

do?

By

when?

Grants write

grants

Private

foundations

$25,000 $0 Me deadlines

Events Fundraising

dinner

Current and

prospective

donors

$10,000 $2,500 Me,

committee

Planning

calendar

Direct mail Back to

school

appeal

Current

donors

$10,000 $2,500 Me Sep 1

Major gifts Cultivate

and ask for

major gifts

Current and

prospective

major donors

$50,000 $0 Me, Board 2 each

month

Online

giving

Raise

money

online

Current and

prospective

donors

$5,000 $0 Me Nov 1

Other?

Action Steps

Action Step Who will do it? When will it

happen

What resources

are needed?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

For example

Action Step Who will do it? When will it

happen

What

resources

are needed?

1. Research

opportunities

Me By March 1, 2012 time

2. Prioritize the

opportunities

Me By March 7, 2012 Time

3. Create a

deadline

calendar

Me By March 10, 2012 Time

4. Write

proposals

Me Before deadline time

Strategy: Grant writing

Marketing & Communications

• Clearly identify your ideal donor

prospect

• Choose the key messages to share

• Choose marketing & communications

strategies to reach them

Marketing & Communications

Strategy Descrip. Target

Audience

Goal Cost? Who will

do?

By

when?

Website

News

letter

Public

speaking

Press

releases

E-news

Other?

Step 4

Work the plan

Execute!

Step 5

Monitor the plan

Regular review

At least monthly, review your plan to see

how you’re doing.

Course-correct if needed

Monthly Checklist

• Total dollars

• Renewed donors

• New donors

• Goals

Planned vs actual

Review each strategy and goal.

Ask yourself

• How are we doing versus what we

planned?

• What do we need to adjust?

Like this:

Ready

Aim

Fire

Aim

Fire

Step 6

Celebrate!

Celebrate!

Don’t forget to celebrate when things go

well!

Tip!

Focus on the fundraising activities that will

give you the most “bang for the buck.”

Tip!

Reduce the number of special events you

host.

Tip!

Individual donors are the largest source of

untapped potential.

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Questions

• Please type in chat at the bottom of the left hand

viewing pane.

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Contact Information

• Connect with Sandy on her website, www.GetFullyFunded.com

or via email at sandy<at>GetFullyFunded<dot>com

• Connect with Sage

– Email nps <at> sage <dot> com

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www.slideshare.net/sagenonprofit

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