January 19, 2012

“The Development Plan – Mission First”

Dana Kimberly, CFRE, President and FounderDanforth Development Inc. Powers Building, 16 W. Main St., Rochester, N. Y. 14614

www.danforthdevelopment.com 585-473-3898

The Development Plan sets goals that promote financial growth by fundraising methodology. The Plan creates a clear connection between organizational needs and donor support.

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Ten Steps to Creating A Fund Development Plan

Step One – Mission First

Articulate the organizational needs:

Program 1 Program 2 Program 3 Endowment Needs Capital Needs

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step One Mission First

Develop Financial Needs for Each Need, Now and X Years into the Future

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Strategic Plan Element

$ NOW $ FUTURE

Program #1 $100,000 $150,000

Program #2 $75,000 $85,000

Endowment $1.2 Million $2.5 Million

Capital Needs $650,000 $45,000

Step Two Analyze Past Results

Ideally, go back two years to analyze your fundraising data and results

What generates the largest percentage of revenue?

Which sources have been most reliable? Which sources have the greatest potential

for growth? Which sources are not producing and

why?The Development Plan - Mission First January 19,

2011

Step Three Evaluate Internal and External Factors

Internal Factors: Are your donor giving records in good order? Do you have a new Executive Director? Are you launching a capital campaign? Are there new programs being developed? Are your Board members skilled ambassadors? Do you have a grant writer on staff? Do your donors give loyally? Are you starting from scratch with very few

donors?

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Three Evaluate Internal and External Factors

External Factors Will the economy affect your fundraising this

year? Are competing organizations asking your donors

for gifts? Does your mission match the needs of the

community? Are changing giving trends likely to affect your

fundraising?

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Four Identify your Champions

Who? How Many? What Skills Do They Bring?

Members of the Board of Trustees Executive Director Development Staff Key Donors Organizational Allies – Political,

Media, other Partners and CollaboratorsThe Development Plan - Mission First January 19,

2011

Step Five Set $ Goals by Method

EXAMPLE : Program #1 $100,000 Need

$100,000 Goal

Major Gift Solicitations: Goal $75,000 Special Events: Goal $15,000 Direct Mail: Goal $10,000

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Six New, Renew, Upgrade

After identifying the methodologies you will use, think about it from three perspectives:

Acquiring new donors Renewing current donors, corporate sponsors,

foundation grantors Upgrades – asking supporters for larger gifts

Plus! Donor Relations : how will you get closer to each prospect and donor?

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Seven Set A Timeline

Create a monthly calendar expressing each of the following:

Solicitations and asks Events Donor relations activities

Some elements will happen once a year, some will happen several times, and some will happen every month.

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Eight Net Income by Method

For each fundraising method or donor relations activity:

Projected Gross Income Total Expenses Net Income after Expenses

For expenses – include staff time, printing, postage, travel, food, and etc.

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Nine Put It All Together

Method Goal Prospects

Description

Date Who Costs

Major Gifts $75,000 Ms. SmithMr. Travis Qualified Donors

Series of cultivation solicitation

Donor contact 6 times per year

Board PresidentExec Director

$2,500

Direct Mail Appeal

$10,000 600 members

10,000 new names

Mail to database universe 3x Mail to purchased list 1x

JanAprilSeptNovember

Development Director

$5,000

Foundation Grants

$250,000

A FoundationZ Foundation

Write proposals and applications

Deadlines in Feb, April, Sept, and Dec.

Grantwriter $4,500

Special Events

$15,000

$55,000

Previous Corp sponsors & Attendees

Annual Auction

Gala

March

Sept

Board MembersDevelopment Director

$3,500

$25,000

House Parties

$0 Introduce new donors

Board members host events

One per month

Board Members

$3,000

Other

Other

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011

Step Ten Evaluation Criteria

In addition to funds raised, you can choose to track:

# of mission-based contacts with donors and prospects # of renewal donors # of donors who increase their gifts # of new donors # increase in attendance at events # new volunteers and Board members who got involved with

fundraising # of first-time donors who make a second gift # of new prospects identified % of new prospects who made a first gift Level of personalization in communication vehicles # of mission-based stewardship activitiesThe Development Plan - Mission First

January 19, 2011

Thank you for putting ‘Mission First’

The Development Plan - Mission First January 19, 2011