
Having a good road map makes life easier. It also makes fundraising much more successful — and more enjoyable!
Crafting an annual fund, endowment or comprehensive development plan should be invigorating. If you don't have one, you need to.
Often we will get a call from a client with a question on the direction it should take. It is always good to catch up and benchmark the organization's success. Many times, we simply refer clients back to their plan. Other times, we have discussions on new circumstances and talk about updates to the plan. We always stress, "Please update your playbook so you know where you are going."
So often we see organizations with a new idea, a new strategy developing and sidetracking their focus on what is most important. New ideas can be energizing. Fine-tuning a plan should be a regular occurrence.
A significant benefit of a plan is focus when you are in a critical situation or when you are bombarded with well-meaning (but distracting) advice and direction from volunteers and other staff in your organization.
But be sure that you have one document where you capture your direction. Get everyone on the same page. Be focused. Have a plan. Fine-tune your plan. Implement your plan!
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Looking for Jeff? You'll find him either on the lake, laughing with good friends, or helping nonprofits develop to their full potential.
Jeff believes that successful fundraising is built on a bedrock of relevant, consistent messaging; sound practices; the nurturing of relationships; and impeccable stewardship. And that organizations that adhere to those standards serve as beacons to others that aspire to them. The Bedrocks & Beacons blog will provide strategic information to help nonprofits be both.
Jeff has more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience and is a member of the NonProfit PRO Editorial Advisory Board.