Plan For Big Profits: Planning Tips For Fundraisers

Having the reins of the fundraising wagon passed on to you can be a daunting and overwhelming task. If you are new to the position, or even if you have been involved in a floundering fundraising campaign for years, you're sure to find yourself wondering where to start.

More than any other piece of advice you will receive from seasoned fundraising professionals and successful fundraising chairpersons, you will hear one thing – plan. The key to all fundraising success is in the planning.

Elements Of Successful Fundraiser Planning

Regardless of whether your fundraiser is to benefit a church group, elementary school, high school, dance class, or senior center, there are basic elements of planning that will ensure a well organized fundraising campaign and ultimate fundraising success. Follow these fundraising tips to get yourself situated from the start.

First off, know your organization's needs. Know how much money is needed and for what purpose. Know when the funds will be needed by.

Secondly, analyze your organization's manpower and resources. Estimate how many members and family members will volunteer to sell and lend administrative support. Poll volunteers to determine your available skills base and choose a fundraiser that fits in with your available skill set.

Analyze past fundraising experiences. This will include researching former fundraising records and talking to past organizers and volunteers. Find out what sales and events were successful and which were flops; try to determine why failures failed.

With this information in hand, choose a fundraising method and/or product that promises to be a good seller and a manageable undertaking given the skills and constraints of your group. Keep both expectations and goals realistic.

A very important aspect of planning is to set a clear, obtainable goal. Put a dollar figure to the amount you need to raise. Keep volunteers apprised of your success.

Organize your help. No one person can single-handedly run a successful fundraiser; it takes a village. Assign responsibilities to volunteers without overtaxing anybody. Make sure job assignments are clear, including time expectations.
With an organized structure in place, delegate. Then delegate some more. Share the load and support each other. Also, plan for contingencies when someone cannot meet their commitment.

Plan rewards and incentives. A little motivation can go a long way towards encouraging people to stick with the task. Set aside money for a little 'Thank You' such as small prizes or a volunteer appreciation party at the end of your campaign.

Planning can get lost in the initial excitement of raising funds for a great cause, but without this essential step, your fundraiser will be disorganized and unfocused; ultimately, it will flounder and what started as excitement and motivation will fall into failure and despair. Prepare your fundraising campaign to be the best that it can be and in the long run, your good planning and attention to detail will surely show in the form of great fund accumulation!

This is an article created by the FundraisingIP.com Editorial Team. Read about fundraising tips, different kinds of fundraisers and more at FundraisingIP.com.

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