Joyful Fundraising: Building Your Plan
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):
Build a fundraising plan that works and is authentic to you and your organization.
Fundraise from your strengths, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Map and engage your network with practical strategies.
Develop a menu of flexible strategies that adapt to new opportunities.
Make fundraising feel less daunting and more energizing.
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!
What this Looks Like?
Key things/What actually works
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:
1. Where’s your brilliance? What brings you joy?
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 bring folks together and build community.
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.
2. It’s all about relationships (not asking for $)
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.
3. Get Started! Then learn and adapt.
You know those fundraising plans that feel more like prison sentences than possibilities? I've made (and abandoned) plenty of those. What actually works is having a menu of options ready - different ways to build relationships and share your work that play to your strengths and let you move when opportunities emerge.
The beauty of this approach is that you can design multiple campaigns and then test what works. Maybe you start with intimate gatherings hosted by your true believers, or you focus on funder briefings where you share your incredible impact stories. Whatever you choose, when something clicks, that's where you put your energy! Having options lets you respond to what's actually happening versus being stuck with a rigid plan that doesn't match reality. Want to see how to map this out? We've got a template HERE that walks you through designing your own adventure.
Want to Try This?
Having the right tools at the right time makes all the difference. Here are a few of my favorite resources on Building a Beautiful Fundraising Plan:
Get started on the steps outlined in this article with our Joyful Fundraising - Building from Your Strengths and Mapping Your “Who” worksheets.
Next, check out our take on Designing Successful Fundraising Campaigns and use the accompanying worksheet to start designing your own.
Dig into our standalone templates for campaign design – map out Your Funding Community, see a menu of campaign options in our Campaign Cards, and reference our list of fundraising Materials to Have at the Ready.
Use our Get Started, then Learn and Adapt worksheet to honestly assess your test campaigns before you scale to full implementation.
See an example fundraising plan that we developed with our friends at La Mas.
Sometimes you need an outside perspective to review your current approach, build a realistic plan, or support execution. Let's talk about what might work for your situation. Remember: The goal isn't to do everything - it's to do the right things consistently well.
Here are some connections we’d love to make for you:
We’ve heard wonderful things about Sheikh Impact and Raise for Good.