Steps to Successful Development, Part II

Louis D. Brandeis

Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, 1916 - 1939

 "We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."

Last month, we shared numerous fundraising strategies, from planning to mobilizing your resources. This month, let us look at additional strategies to help you make the most of your development efforts:

1.       Publicize. Announce all your fundraising activities, events, and annual appeals. Explain the goal, the need, and how to donate or get involved. Be sure to name the leadership. Use media, personal letters, newsletters, etc. to reach as many people as possible.

2. Raise. Assign each event and giving program a start and end date. Keep an up-to-date, accurate database.
3. Report. Provide regular updates to plot success and challenges as they arise. Make sure donors are aware of the importance of their gifts. If a fundraiser is a community event, quickly get the results to the local media for publication no later than 10 days after the event.
4. Evaluate. Analyze why a goal was met or why it was not. Over time, you will learn what about your mission is most important to the community and donors and what needs careful thought and revision.
5. Celebrate. Even if an accomplishment is small, everyone involved should share in it. People like participating in success and will stay with you. From thank-you letters to parties, celebrate every success you have.
6. Maintain. Keep in touch with donors and event participants. Use newsletters, annual reports, a speaker’s bureau, and other avenues to gain continued support and expand your volunteer and donor base.

For more information and support in implementing your development strategies, please call us at (302) 530-6806 or visit us at www.macintyreassociates.com  We look forward to working with you.