Plan Your Fundraising Strategies

The problem with many fundraising efforts is that there are no pre-planned strategies in place before the event starts. We find that organizations achieving success in their fundraising efforts made fundraising strategies their first priority.

A Solid Plan Helps Produce Great Fundraising Results

Good fundraising means you raise the resources your group needs. Great fundraising comes when you build a campaign that is based on a solid plan. The bottom line is to build a fundraising strategy that is realistic. Successful fundraising strategies includes the management of staff and volunteers, takes advantage of proven programs, utilizes mail and email when applicable and is meaningful to your fundraising community. Whether your fundraising organization is national or you are working with a small local group, the key ingredients are having the right content, people, volunteers that all work together to make your fundraising strategy become a feasible plan.

“The Five Strategies for Fundraising Success”

Mal Warwick in "The Five Strategies for Fundraising Success" writes about an entirely new and revolutionary approach to fundraising strategy and planning. He shows nonprofit organizations how to set fundraising goals based on the mission and how to select, implement, and stay with the right strategies to meet those goals.

Fund raising strategies are important to service organizations which rely on donors giving their hard earned money to a fundraising effort. Quite often it is best to take the same approach as other organizations and their fundraising ideas. It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. If a similar organization has had success with one strategy it makes sense to explore that same strategy for your organization. For example, if a local pregnancy center has found raising money with silent auctions meets its financial needs, you may want to consider holding a silent auction for your fundraising project.

Nonprofit fundraising is important and you will find many corporate sponsors willing to help your cause. It is always a good approach to present corporate sponsors with general background information about your goals and ways you intend on using the fundraising proceeds. It is important to successful fundraisers that their donors gain a comfort level with the organization and the fundraising needs. Of course they will want to know that you will be good stewards of the financial resources they choose to share with your group.

Powerful Funding Strategy

Grant Station has some wonderful information on fundraising strategies. They believe if you want to develop a powerful funding strategy for your organization or a specific project, you must first become familiar with giving patterns, Fundraising Trends, funding sources, and fundraising methods. Knowing and understanding each of these is essential to creating a fundraising strategy.

Notification of Funding Accomplishments and Future Plans

An active fund raising board will keep in close contact with the community and its leaders, getting them directly involved with your mission. Remember, the success of your fund raiser is based on keeping the community desirous of supporting your organization. Make sure your strategy includes preparation and distribution of newsletters and new releases that notifies donors about your recent accomplishments and future plans. Most local newspapers will gladly print stories of local nonprofit organizations and the ways in which they are helping in the community. After all, there are only so many fundraising resources available. Use the strategy of keeping your organization and its impact on the community in the news as much as possible. Be the organization that people want to support.

Be clear in your advertisements and newsletters to map out your groups mission. Make it easy to follow and describe it as directly as possible. Follow these simple rules:

• Let people know who you are.
• What you have done in the past.
• What you plan is for the future.
• What you need them to do to help. Ask for their donations, and or time or any other needed resources. Be sure to tell them exactly what your needs are and how they can help you.

Partnership Marketing Plans

Great fundraising strategies include developing a strong internet presence. Take time to contact other local corporate entities and ask them to link to your website. Marketing plans should always include partnerships within the local area, and website linking strategies should not be overlooked. Quite possibly your biggest supporters will be the same people that frequent other local businesses and their websites. Not only will links from those sites draw traffic to your site, proper linking strategies with strengthen your website and your position on search engines.

Most people are charitable by nature. Approach them with common sense. Explore different ways to network within your potential donor base. Solicitation of ideas and money through the mail may seem old school. Regardless, take advantage of all the tools available. Relationships are difficult to build. Strategic thinking can provide new avenues in which you reach more and more donors.

Understand Fund Raising Decisions

Learn what goes into making the decision of offer donations to groups like yours. Get feedback from focus groups. Half the battle of reaching your goal is learning what makes people give in the first place. Identify why they give. Improve the ways you promote the importance of your organization and its fundraising needs. Individuals that have an interest in supporting groups like yours will have choices to make. Be their best choice.

As you explore different fundraising strategies do as much self reflection as possible. Remove yourself from your organization and ask yourself as honestly as possible "What would I want to know about this organization that would make me want to help them? What would I want them to say to me? How could they best say it?" Build your fundraising strategy around the answers to those questions and you will be off to a great start!

Is There a Creative Side to Fundraising Strategies?

If you need help with the creative end of fundraising strategies, there are companies like MK Direct Marketing & Communications that offer strategic and creative fundraising counsel to nonprofit organizations. With an emphasis on understanding unique client issues and needs, MKDM provides campaign management, copywriting and consulting services that are forward-thinking, results-oriented, and cost-conscious.

As you can see, there are many aspects to fundraising strategies and Easy Fundraising Ideas wants to help, please call toll free (866) 874-8383 or click here for a FREE 24-page catalog with various fundraising options.