Recently, I led a webinar to teach people my “Simple Success” Fundraising Plan. One of the things I shared was the 7 questions your fundraising plan MUST answer. I thought you might enjoy them too, so here they are.
1. How much money do we need to raise? You need a specific goal for your plan. If you just want to “raise more money” you’re setting yourself up for failure. After all, how much is more money? $1 more? $100 more?
2. Where will the money come from? You need a mix of revenue streams to ensure the health of your organization. Will you raise money from individuals? Foundations? Events? Don’t set a goal without knowing where you will raise the money.
3. Who will we ask? Be specific. Who will you ask for money? This gets into creating lists of potential donors.
4. When will we ask? Create a calendar of when you will ask. Include grant deadlines, events, etc. to get a complete picture of your year.
5. How much will we ask for? You need to think through the amount you will request from each donor. You may have to do a little research in some cases to find out how much is appropriate, particularly if you’re working with major givers.
6. How will we follow up on a gift? You need to know how you will thank your donors, how you will steward gifts, and how you will build relationships. Be proactive about this – not reactive!
7. How soon will we ask again? Don’t be afraid to ask several times during the year for a gift. If you only ask once during the year, I promise you that you are leaving money on the table! If you are doing a good job building relationships with your donors, they WANT to support the work you are doing. Make it easy for them by giving them multiple opportunities to give.