Ideas to Raise Money for Your Next Fundraiser

Planning smart means taking concrete action to put your ideas into an annual business plan. Yes, I did say 'business plan.'

No self-respecting, non-profit fund-raising organization should be without a written business plan to guide their fundraising efforts.

Your plan should spell out roles and goals along with detailed instructions on how you'll get there. It should be grounded in the past and targeted at the future.

Each non-profit fund-raising activity should be broken down into the necessary action steps that will produce the highest level of results with the most cost-effective effort.

Everyone should know exactly what's expected of them. A well-organized team where everyone understands their role is able to execute their mission flawlessly.

Everyone should know and be able to state your group's value proposition.

If they can't articulate, in two sentences or less, a convincing reason why you are raising funds, then you need a plan that helps communicate your message more effectively.
Non-Profit Fundraising - WORK SMART
Working smart means taking your plan and putting it into action with an eye towards getting the most bottom line results from every facet of your organization.

You'll get the best long-term results if you stay focused on not overburdening your volunteers, your supporters, and your leadership. Overworking volunteers will ensure that many will not be around to help next year.

Too many demands for small donations will alienate your group's supporters. Structure your non-profit fund-raising requests to two or three campaigns in a year's time, no more.

Size those non-profit fund-raising campaigns to get the most from each time your supporters are asked to make a contribution.

Continuous fundraising will wear out your leadership as well. Your key personnel will be spending most of their time on organizing and conducting campaigns.

You want to keep everyone fresh and motivated. Do that by having a well thought out plan that maximizes the value of everyone's time, energy, and contributions.

Non-Profit Fundraising - BE SMART
Being smart means taking the time NOW to begin a 'Get Smart' effort about your non-profit fund-raising efforts.

Start the brainstorming process now.

Get a small journal and start recording any and all ideas you have, day or night, about improving your fundraising. Some of them will be duds, but others will be gems.

Sure, the gems will be rough and will need polishing, but you won't have any gems at all if you don't let your creative juices run wild.

Just write them down as they occur to you and keep adding to the ones that make the most sense in the light of day.

Hey, if it worked for Edison and Einstein, it can work for you.

Start writing down all the ways that you can think of to create multiple streams of income for your organization.

Get your non-profit fund-raising planned and organized, then watch the money flow in.

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