To reach a goal, the key is to have a concrete plan and for a non-profit organization, cash flow is a necessity. How and from where the funds comes is addressed in detail beforehand by making a robust fundraising plan. In this article we’ll discuss the elements of a fundraising plan.
“A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble at his door.”
– Confucius
Here, let’s take a look at some important elements of a fundraising plan that should not be missed.
- Pick the right theme
You have the opportunity to be creative to be engaging here. The theme that you pick should be engaging to entice both your existing and potential donors as well as your board members. Why not go with a different theme every year. For instance, the theme for World Mental Health Day changes every year. To name a few, there were “Children and Mental Health” in 1997, “Living with Schizophrenia” in 2014, “Mental health in the workplace” in 2017, “Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention” in 2019, and “Move for mental health: Increased investment in mental health” in 2020.
Picking the right theme is an important element of fundraising plan. Choose an aspect of your NGO that you think needs to be addressed. You can also choose one that you are proud of and you think people will connect and empathize with as well.
- Focus on brand awareness and engagement
Focusing on brand awareness and engagement is an essential element of fundraising plan. When people look at your logo, it should be able to tell them who you are, what you do and why you do it. Innovation and creativity are required to create a powerful brand awareness. they will help them become familiar with your organization. You can, then, move on to brand engagement by providing engaging messages via newsletters or emails. Utilising User-generated content on social media platforms, ORM and CRM are effective ways to convert ROI.
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2. List out how funds will be allocated
Potential donors will want to know how you plan to spend their money and the existing ones will need updates on how their contributions have helped. So, the best way to reel them in is to provide them with a list of how you where funds are needed and have been used. If each member of your organization are able to make an elevator pitch regarding this, it will make it easier to converse with donors and reassure them that their donations are not misused and at the same time, let them know how impactful their contributions are and will continue to be.
3. Launch powerful marketing campaigns
From newspaper or radio ads to online ads, marketing has come a long way. It is now much easier to catch the attention of the target audience. With the right content and creativity, your reach can become wider and wider and it makes marketing campaign a vital element to the perfect fundraising plan.
Never doubt the power of social media. A trending video or post or even hashtag can change the growth of your organisation overnight. Utilize various social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Digital marketing campaigns, such as National Trust’s #NTchallenge or ALS’ Ice Bucket Challenge. These campaigns are powerful ways to create brand awareness and pull in potential donors.
4.Make use of your data
To know where you went right or you may have gone wrong, you will need to go through the data you have collected to make necessary changes. Go through all the records you have of the past fundraising revenue. Try to come up with what your expected revenue for the year will be. This way, you will be able to track your progress and see if you have been on the right track.
These were the most important elements of a fundraising plan. We hope the above information proves useful in bringing in more donors to help your NGO grow.
Good luck!