End of Year Development Planning Tips

Summer is over! Fall is coming! Its time for end of year planning.

A few helpful hints for year-end development planning:  

1. Make sure that your organization is completely transparent. Keep in mind the fact that donors have easy access to your 990 form online at their convenience.
2. This is a good time to review your gift acceptance polices and stewardship.
3. Do an analysis of your special event fundraising. How much are you really netting on your special events, taking into consideration staff and volunteer time involved, and opportunities lost while focusing time and energy on events planning.
4. Focus on year end solicitation of major donors who may be in a position to need a tax deduction by making a gift before December 31.
5. Work on your year-end phone and mail appeals. You need to start the planning now, not mid November.
6. Be sure you have a strong case for support. If yours needs some beefing up, work on it now.
7. This is a good time to plan for staff development. Consider having some one-on-one training and coaching for your staff from a professional consultant.
8. Build your board. If you don't have a year round recruitment process, now is the time to develop a list of potential 2009 board members.
9. This may also be a good time to start developing a list of potential fundraising volunteers, especially your Development Committee.
10. Don't forget to celebrate and take some time to relax before the busy holiday season ahead. How about giving every staff member a day off in December to shop, bake, wrap gifts, or just go get a massage and pedicure, whatever they wanted to do!