Formulating a Fundraising Plan

Anyone can start a fundraiser! A strong foundation and strategic planning are the keys to fundraising success.

Choosing a campaign

Funds can come from many different sources. In order to keep finances and bookkeeping manageable, decide on a single fundraising channel. You can choose anything from direct sales of a product or service to coordinating a special event, or even requesting grants and sponsorship from other organizations. Donations can also come from the public or be generated by a community service that you and your campaign members can fulfill. A recommended way to fundraise is through an agency or a website that will reward supporters with a product while it earns you profits on their purchase. Make an educated choice based on your resources at hand, fundraising goals, and ease of implementation. 

Finding Supporters

No matter what your cause may be, generating a supporter base is one of the most important parts of the entire fundraising initiative. One way to secure supporters is to research the types of donors that have supported similar causes in the past. Inquire with other organizations in your neighbourhood and see how they raise funds and if they have any tips for you. Local sports teams, church congregations and schools will all have useful information and fundraising tips.

Spreading the word

So you have defined your campaign, funding source and target audience, now, let’s start fundraising!

Start with the people you know, enlist coworkers, friends and neighbors that you trust and can depend on for support. You will be surprised how many people you can reach by utilizing the business and social connections you and those around you already have. Sources are unlimited, community members, local businesses, and regional government officials are just a few of the starting points for financial support.

If you decided to request donations through correspondance you may want to hold a seminar, discuss things face to face, by telephone or with a personal email. Make the choice that works best for your cause. For example, if your cause is one that involves educating supporters then a seminar might be the right choice for you, whereas a more personal cause may require communication with each supporter individually. To learn how to approach people for support you can check out the resources in our Fundraising Letters section. Sample letters can be found here.

Another way to spread the word is by starting an Online fundraiser.These fundraisers allow you to import your email contact list and contact supporters all at once. If direct donation requests are not for you this option is an effective way to save time, money and energy.

You have the plan, the tools and the technology to start fundraising today!

First-time fundraising organizers often come to us with baffled expressions, not knowing where to begin.  In this special Starting from Scratch series, we’ll show you how to start from square one.

We found some great advice on how non-profits can win by using social media in their marketing efforts.