I have often been asked, “What should I do as a new Development Director within the first 90 days of employment?” Even if you are a seasoned professional who has been on the job for a while, taking the time to review the items listed here during the first 90 days of the New Year, or your new fiscal year, could be extremely beneficial to you and your organization’s development program.
So what should you do during your first 90 days? Develop your table of needs, write your case for support, and prepare your development office business plan that looks forward one, three, and five years. While these documents will remain fluid and change with the times, they will get you off to a great start in an organized and determined fashion.
Table of Needs
Sit down with your leadership and discuss what your organization needs financially on an annual basis and for what purposes, programs, equipment, capital improvements, etc. Buff up the crystal ball as well and get your leadership to look ahead at least five years; depending on your needs it may take you a bit to build the base and resource to prepare for anything major in the future (for example, like a $25 million capital campaign).
Case for Support
The Case Statement is the most important essential in any fundraising program! Without it, none of the other essentials can be effective. In the field of fundraising, the Case Statement is the primary document on which an institution or organization bases its appeal for voluntary financial support. It is the central piece of literature in your fundraising program. It is the source of inspiration for the program, the reference point for all volunteers, and the cause of new concepts for prospects. Harold J. “Si” Seymour, the Dean of the fundraising profession, describes the Case Statement as “The most important single piece of the whole development effort; it tells all that needs to be told, answers all important questions, reviews the arguments for support, explains the proposed plan for raising the money, shows how gifts may be made, and who the people are who vouch for the project and will give leadership and direction.”
In other words, the Case needs to answer the all-important question “What do you do and why is it important? What makes you different, why should I care, and how can I help?”
With more than 30 years’ experience working in the nonprofit field and working with hundreds of organizations, I am always amazed of the number of organizations that cannot put their hands on a current case statement! Can you?
Business Plan
You should have in place a document stating your objective for the current year as well as what you project for subsequent years. This is one of the most important recommendations I can make and it is where most development professionals fail. They fail because they fail to plan.
A carefully considered Plan, detailed and challenging, provides a road map of where you are going and what you hope will be your final destination. Without the road map, you may be making good time but end up getting lost!
This is the kind of document that should be prepared with the assistance of a select group of board members or other volunteers and your development staff. After careful and lengthy discussion and approval—your plan should be submitted to the President/CEO for their review. It is the type of planning, also, that becomes a very significant factor in the involvement of your fundraising volunteers and leaders. At the end of the year, you have a perfect instrument for measuring your progress and building your foundation for the future.
What to Include:
How are you going to identify donors, prospective donors, and prospective leadership for your fundraising organization? Ideas: small group meetings; outside research company; volunteers; direct mail; personal visits – all? – Some? – and how often?
How are you going to communicate with your various audiences? Ideas: One-on-one, small group meetings, open houses, private receptions, newsletters, direct mail appeals, special events, annual reports. What subjects are you going highlight and why? It is very important to make all or at least most of your communication strategy donor-oriented and not just what the organization does or needs. You need to create a partnership between your various audiences and your organization.
What strategies are you going to develop and implement that are going to get your various audiences “involved” with — and feel a connection to — your organization? Ideas: One-on-one, small group meetings, open houses, private receptions, donor clubs, video presentations, donor/client testimonials/presentations, committee membership, special events, etc.
What methods will you use to solicit your donors and donor prospects and who will make the solicitations? Ideas: Major gifts, capital/equipment gifts, planned gifts, direct mail, annual appeal. Will fundraising staff, executive staff, volunteers make solicitations and what factors determine the purpose and timing of each “ask”?
How, at what levels and how often is your organization and its leadership going to recognize their donors and volunteer leaders? Ideas: Small group meetings, publications, named gift opportunities, named scholarships, donor boards/plaques, dinners, receptions, etc.
What strategies are you going to develop and implement that are going to keep your donors and leaders involved and supportive of the organization? Ideas: One-on-one, small group meetings, open houses, private receptions, donor clubs, video presentations, donor/client testimonials/presentations, committee membership, special events, etc. Remember it is a lot easier and more rewarding asking a current donor for another gift, hopefully a higher one, than finding a brand new prospect to take through the process.
Some of the mechanics of the Development Office that I would implement in the first 90 days and make note in the business plan, if not already in place:
- Development office objectives for the year
- Database management and research needs
- Prospect rating forms and methods
- Approved job descriptions
- Policies and procedures for development & planned giving
- Staff performance evaluations
- Responsibilities of trustees/volunteers
- Statement of purpose and expectation for each of your committees
- Donor/prospect communications plan
Once you have worked out the above and probably added a number of things I have overlooked, you will be able to develop a budget to support the development program and identify what staffing and volunteer involvement will be needed to accomplish the above. Again, it will also demonstrate to your superiors that you know what you are doing and you have a plan for the organizations fundraising success.
Please note where in this article and process the “Solicitation Phase” is placed – it is there for a very important reason. Remember: “The worst time to establish a relationship with a prospective donor is when you are asking them for money.”
I hope you have found these ideas useful. If I can be of any further assistance, please give me a call. To learn more about how The Huddleston Group, please visit our website at www.thehuddlestongroup.com
I hope you have found these ideas useful. If I can be of any further assistance please give me a call. To learn more about how The Huddleston Group, please visit our website at www.TheHuddlestonGroup.com or email me at ron@thehuddlestongroup.com
Good Luck
Ron Huddleston, FAHP, CFRE
President
The Huddleston Group
