Do You Have a Realistic Development Office Budget?

Establishing your development office budget needs to be done by the development officer and the administrative team of the organization. It is unrealistic to think that a development program can succeed without making an investment in the development office. Your organization’s leadership must understand that it often takes two to three years for a development office to be bringing in sufficient funds to cover expenses. Start up costs may be substantial and it may take a while to develop a donor base. Some things that need to be included in your budget are:

Personnel — Staff salaries and benefits usually make up the greatest part of the development office budget. AFP can provide a salary and benefit study that will guide your organization in determining an appropriate salary range.

Professional Development — It is vital, particularly if your staff is inexperienced, to allocate money in the budget for professional development — attendance at seminars and conferences, and continuing education. If your CDO is not currently a CFRE or ACFRE, your organization may want to invest in helping them gain certification. The level of professionalism in the department is important.

Software and Equipment — a good donor database can make or break your development program. Prices ranges for a donor software program run from several hundred to the tens of thousands of dollars. Also be sure to budget for the hardware as well as other software programs that may be needed. Internet capability and a strong web presence are musts for any development office. Office furniture also needs to be considered. Since donors will often visit your development office, the organization does not want to appear too frugal. People may get the idea that there are financial difficulties. On the other hand, the development office of small social service agency should not look like a corporate CEO's office.

Dues and Publications — Membership fees for AFP, the local Chamber of Commerce and other civic or professional organizations need to be included in the budget. Include a budget item for subscriptions to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Foundation Center directories, research tools and fundraising books.

Office Supplies — Special letterhead and envelopes is often used for different fundraising campaigns and appeals, as well as materials for volunteer training, donor filing systems, etc.

Communications — be sure to budget adequate funds for developing brochures, annual report, newsletter and a website.

Seed Money for Events — If special events are part of the development program, the organization may need to budget seed money for events the organization will be holding, for instance deposits on a hotel and an orchestra for a dinner dance, entertainment at events, a deposit on the golf course for a golf tournament, etc.

Special Offers for October:

You can schedule Linda to come speak to your board. Your board can get help understanding the development budget, the development process or their role in fundraising for your organization. If you book by October 31, 2010 you will receive a 10% discount. To schedule a date click here Linda@cvfundraising.com

I Need Your Help with My New Book!

I am currently working on my latest book on corporate fundraising and would like your input on how you raise money from your local business community. Please take my survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YKMWGV5 and watch for my book sometime in late 2010.

Fundraiser’s Personal Muse™

We believe every fundraiser needs a source of support and inspiration, so we are offering a limited number of memberships in this new service, which will allow you personal access by phone and email to one of the profession’s most knowledgeable and experienced fundraisers. See our website for more details. To sign up go to http://www.cvfundraising.com/muse.

Charity Channel Training and Consulting

We’ve had great response to our Capital Venture™/CharityUniversity™ webinars. We offer a discount on Capital Venture™/CharityUniversity™ webinars to all members of the Fundraiser’s Private Vault so if you haven’t joined the Vault yet, you can still sign up.

We will also be offering a new service through Charity Channel for those who need more than a 90 minute training session. I will be kicking off this program with an eight week course “Building the Board You Need to Succeed™.”

This new program will provide you with the tools you need to develop a board of directors that understands their governance role, works as an effective team and eagerly embraces fundraising. More than a class, this program offers you access to a top notch consultant who will provide personal guidance to help you grow your board into the board you want, the board you need!

At the end of this program you will have:

• Completed an assessment of your board
• Developed an organizational and committee structure for your board
• Developed board position descriptions
• Developed a list of backgrounds, talents and skills needed on your board
• Identified a list of potential board members
• Developed  a recruitment plan
• Developed a structure for board orientation
• Developed a board educational program for the coming year

You will be provided with reading materials and an initial welcome lecture that can be downloaded at your convenience. In addition, you will receive assessment forms, sample positions descriptions and other materials you will need to succeed in growing you board into effective, enthused and eager fundraisers. You will complete assignments and return to the instructor for input and suggestions. You will also have access to the instructor for questions between classes. Emails will be answered within 24 hours on business days. Assignments will be returned with comments within one week of the instructor's receipt of your completed assignment.
If you are interested in signing up, let me know and I will send you the details.

Linda’s Travel Calendar

Don’t forget to check Linda’s travel calendar to see when I will be in your area if you would like to schedule a meeting or presentation.

October 13, 2010
PANO
Building a Strong Relationship with your Consultant
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

October 19, 2010
Charity Channel
Get your Board & CEO to Embrace Fundraising
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE & Margaret Guellich, CFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

October 20, 2010
PANO
So you Wanna be a Consultant?
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

October 28, 2010
National Nonprofit Resource Directory
Are you Ready for a Capital Campaign: Planning Study
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

November 3, 2010
Charity Channel Summit 2010
Ask the Consultants
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, Norman Olshansky and Terri Temkin, PhD.
St. Petersburg, FL
Click here for details

November 4, 2010
Charity Channel Summit 2010
Almost Everything you Wanted to Know About Capital Campaigns
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE & Norman Olshansky
St. Petersburg, FL
Click here for details

November 6, 2010
Charity Channel Summit 2010
Advancing your Career Through Professional Writing
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, Stephen Nill, Norman Olshansky, Amy Einstein, CFRE, and Kent Stroman, CFRE
St. Petersburg, FL
Click here for details

November 10, 2010
PANO
Raising Money from Your Local Business Community
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

November 17, 2010
PANO
Seven Ways to Thank a Donor
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE
Webinar
Click here for details

Charity Channel Workshops
www.charitychannel.com

Check out our website for other workshops and webinars