This toolkit gives you two tools Andrea uses to bring order and predictability to development work: a weighted pipeline tracker so you always know where you actually stand, and a weekly meeting agenda that keeps everything moving. Whether you’re a development director managing a full team or an ED doing it yourself, these are the building blocks of a fundraising system that doesn’t keep you up at night.
From the Helia Library — based on the article Fundraising That Runs Itself (Almost), from our Coffee Chat with Andrea Chen.
What’s Inside
Start with the pipeline tracker — it’s the foundation. The meeting agenda is how you actually use it
01 — Pipeline Tracking Template
A weighted pipeline spreadsheet that calculates your real forecasted revenue — not just your total asks outstanding. Use it before your first weekly meeting to see where you actually stand against your goal.
02 — Weekly Development Meeting Agenda
The five-part agenda Andrea uses every week to keep prospects moving, catch problems early, and make sure nothing slips. Reach for this once your pipeline is set up and you’re ready to run a consistent review rhythm.
If You Want Help With Your Fundraising System
Andrea Chen works with organizations through The Helia Collective to build development systems that feel less like a scramble and more like a well-oiled machine.
She’s a good fit if:
- Your fundraising feels frantic and you want it to feel predictable
- You have a pipeline but you’re not weighting it — so you don’t actually know what you have
- You’re not sure if your goal is the right number, or how to break out restricted vs. unrestricted
- You want help building the weekly meeting rhythm that keeps everything moving
- You need to expand your networks and relationships to reach your target donors
Connect with Andrea!
Take what’s helpful, leave what’s not, and make it your own.
