4 Steps to Creating your 2020 Fundraising Roadmap

The beginning of the new year is always an exciting time in the fundraising world. Most of us are just coming down from the excitement of GivingTuesday and year-end giving.

It is a time that we eagerly begin planning out the year ahead. Ideas of spring galas, summer 5ks, and fall open houses are already filling out your calendar. Not to mention thinking of new and exciting ways to grow your organization’s outreach and expand your donor base. It’s easy to already feel like there isn’t enough time or manpower to get all the things you want to accomplish done.

Taking some time to really reflect on your goals and how you plan to reach them will go a long way in making you feel not only prepared but empowered to take on 2020 and make it your organization’s best year yet.

Follow these 4 steps to creating a successful fundraising roadmap!

1) Meet with your Fundraising Team & Board

Reflect on 2019 successes by taking the time to celebrate what went right, and how you can replicate and build upon that success.

Use the momentum you generated during GivingTuesday. Your GivingTuesday efforts shouldn’t end once the day is over. Check out these 5 things you should do post-GivingTuesday.

Send out a survey to your donors for feedback on last year’s fundraising strategies. When thinking of new ways for your donors to engage with your organization, there are no better people to ask!

2) Set your 2020 goals

Here are some goals for you to consider:

1. Fundraising Goal: Is there a certain dollar amount you hope to raise for each campaign you are running? Is there a percent increase in how much you want to raise for 2020 compared to what you raised in 2019?
2. Donor Retention: It costs your organization a lot more to solicit new donors than it does to foster the ones you currently have. How will you keep your retention rate low and your donors coming back?
3. Acquiring New Donors: Are there any new avenues for outreach you want to try this year? Will your campaigns incorporate peer-to-peer fundraising to reach a larger audience?
4. Board Engagement: Your board members are some of your greatest assets. What are some ways your board members can be active in your fundraising initiatives
5. Increasing your organization’s visibility: Is your organization active on social media? Are there news ways to interact with those in your community?

3) Create a Goal Setting Strategy

Outline how many campaigns, events, or Giving Days you will be running/ participating in this year: Create goals for each of these so you can reach your overall yearly Fundraising Goal.

Establish a communications plan for your current donors: Newsletters and outreach on social media is a great way to keep your donors updated about the work your organization has been able to accomplish with their gifts

Develop a plan to ensure timely thank you messages to donors throughout the year: Consider scheduling a bi-weekly meeting with designated staff to review your donor report and stewardship plans.

Outline strategies to reach other defined goals from Step 2: You can do this by breaking larger goals into smaller, more manageable ones. Assign action items or roles to individuals when applicable.

Bring in your Board: Present some opportunities for involvement & assign roles when possible to make expectations clear.

Reach out to local businesses to form business partnerships and support: Could your next capital campaign benefit from a local business offering matching dollars.

4) Assess and revise your goals throughout the year

Remind Board members and staff members of their roles: Check-in to see if any process needs modifications or additional help.

Continue to implement your communications plan: Measure your open and click rates among newsletters and the reach of your social media posts. Observe what social media posts are most popular for your organization and focus on creating similar content.

Thank your donors in a timely manner and include them in future communications: Keep track of how many touch points you have with each donor between gifts and throughout the year.

Get out into the community: Spread the word about your organization – the amazing work you do and how your community can get involved (e.g., radio interviews, Instagram takeovers, tabling at local events)

Devote time to stay organized: Being a nonprofit administrator can mean a fast-paced environment in which you wear multiple hats. Planning ahead and staying organized will not just give you peace of mind, it will also allow for more efficient and productive use of your time which future-you will most definitely appreciate.

Best wishes to you in your 2020 fundraising! ?