In Part I, we talked about the importance of the development plan and how your organization might benefit by having one. So, how does a busy development office find time for planning and who will implement the plan once it’s done? By involving the right people in creating and implementing the plan, the development office can move forward in a timely manner and provide a framework for evaluating all of its programs.
Typically, these are the people involved in the development planning process and in implementing the plan:

Chief Development Officer (CDO)

The CDO is the person who is responsible for implementing the development plan, evaluating the plan’s success, and adapting the plan as needed. The CDO establishes goals for the department and creates the development office budget. In addition, CDOs develop the objectives and strategies to reach these goals, and usually assign responsibilities to those who will implement the plan.

Other Development Staff

Large development offices will often have specific personnel responsible for areas such as planned giving, major gifts, annual fund, alumni relations, etc. It is important that these people are involved with establishing goals for their areas of the development plan. Support staff that will be involved in the development plan implementation process should also be included in the planning process.

Non-Development Staff

The CEO of the organization should be involved in setting the goals of the development office. The CEO’s role in implementing the plan, particularly the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major gift prospects, will be critical to the plan’s success. The CFO might also be involved in the plan, particularly the budget for additional staff, technology, or other resources that will be needed to implement the plan. Some organizations may encourage the input of other non-development staff members, such as program coordinators or facility managers, in the development planning process.

Board of Directors

While the board of directors is instrumental in developing a strategic plan for nonprofit organizations, its role in the development plan is generally minimal. In smaller organizations without a development staff, the board may be more involved in the development planning process. In any size organization, however, the board’s role in implementing the plan will be critical. Like the CEO, the board will have a key role to play in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors.

Development Committee

The development committee will have a larger role in the planning process than the full board of directors. The development committee is usually chaired by a board member; however, it is important to expand the committee beyond the board and involve relevant community members, especially those with specific skills and talents that can be used on the committee, such as an estate planning attorney, financial planner, or CPA who can help with planned giving. This committee, along with the CDO, will play a key role in implementing the plan.

Other Volunteers

If there are other volunteers involved in the development program, such as a parent group, auxiliary, alumni association, planned giving committee, events committee, etc., they might also be invited to review and provide input into the parts of the development plan that pertain to their activities.

Consultants

A consultant is often involved in the planning process, particularly in the assessment phase. Many organizations engage a consultant to conduct a development audit of past development performance before they establish goals for the current plan. A consultant can provide an objective view of the organization's development program and help establish realistic goals as well as develop strategies for the plan.

In Part III, we’ll discuss various components of the development plan.