<aside> <img src="/icons/token_blue.svg" alt="/icons/token_blue.svg" width="40px" /> **You’re looking for…**a fundraising approach that feels authentic, builds on your strengths, and energizes rather than drains your team.
</aside>
TL;DR: Forget rigid fundraising plans that sit in a drawer. What actually works is building from your strengths, focusing on authentic relationships, and having a flexible menu of options ready when opportunities arise. This article walks you through how to create a fundraising approach that feels energizing and achievable, not overwhelming.
What's in it for you (WIIFY):
Fundraising plans generally drive me wild (as most plans do). There’s so much time and energy put into them and, yet, when you start to actually use them, what’s important is more the thinking that went into them than the specifics that are on paper, which feels so not the point of a plan?
Why is this? ****Because regardless of what we have written down, hopefully(!) we are responding to what the world brings forward versus what we penciled/inked/laminated on a piece of paper a few weeks/months/years(!) ago.
Focusing only on data and to do lists OR just getting things on paper to appease others is without question a waste of time. However, taking the time to put together an intentional plan - when it’s done well - is beautiful. Expanding to think about what you are truly good at, where you love to spend time, what possibilities exist, your strengths and challenges, who is on your team (the day-to-day, in your community, in the world(!)), what has been working (and not) - this is a meaningful use of time!
Fundraising plans - all plans - are useful when they are grounded in learning and intention. The more you build a solid foundation of what you have, and where you want to head, the more you can not only build a plan, but to live into the day-to-day of whatever comes next! Here are some questions to ask and activities to explore so that you can lay out options for you to have ready as the world plays out:
First, what lights you up? Think about this both as an organization AND as the humans responsible for fundraising. Maybe you're a brilliant writer who loves creating content that moves people. Or you're that person who gets asked to speak because you know how to inspire a room. Perhaps your calendar is packed with networking events because connecting is your jam, or you have this magical ability to help people find clarity on a decision through asking just the right questions and listening deeply.
Your strengths show up in what energizes you - those things where you feel an immediate "yes!" versus the ones that make you want to hide under your desk. Think about what you uniquely bring to the table. Are you the one with deep knowledge about where things are now OR exciting ideas about what's possible? Can you reach humans others can't? Are you piloting solutions that could change how things are done, or scaling what works to reach more people and places? Whatever lights you up - and wherever your organization is naturally shining - those are the places to focus and build on.
Ready to map this out? Check out THIS template to get started.
Know your humans and organize them thoughtfully. This is about building real relationships and community. Think of your world in tiers: Tier 3 are folks who know you, Tier 2 are those who've seen your magic in action and get excited about it, and Tier 1 are your true believers who will move mountains to make things happen.
What do you ask for? Match it to your strengths and what brings you joy (remember those from earlier?). If you shine at creating content, ask your Tier 1s to help shape that amazing video series while having Tier 2s share it with their networks. If you're all about bringing people together, perhaps your Tier 1s are co-hosting gatherings while Tier 2s are making key introductions. When your relationships can intersect with what brings you joy, - that's where your relationships can really flourish.
Want help mapping all of this out? We've got our Mapping Your Who template HERE to help you think this through.