SAMPLE Sandy s Animal Rescue Annual Fundraising Plan Assumptions: This organization has a big dream to save more animals. They have a GREAT reputation and strong relationships with donors and supporters. Response rates are typically very good. FY: July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016 Our Impact Goal: We want to help our local shelter reduce the euthanasia rate to less than 10% (only euthanizing for medical or extreme behavior reasons, and never for space). We want our community to become No Kill. Overall Fundraising Goals: Total dollars to raise: $100,000 Donor retention rate goal: 50% Donor acquisition goal: 512 Our Ideal Donor: Female, 45-75, educated, animal lover, pet owner, can t stand to see suffering or injustice, loves kids, has kids, volunteers in the community Our Mission Message: Every pet deserves a happy, healthy life. Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 1
Fundraising Plan Summary Strategy SMART Goal Projected dollars raised # renewed donors # new donors Grants Events Individual donors Major gifts Raise $20,000 from private foundations and civic clubs Raise $10,000 from 1 signature event Ask current and past donors, volunteers, and supporters to give Ask 10 major donor prospects for a minimum $2,000 gift $20,000 3 2 $10,000 10 65 $40,000 400 25 $20,000 10 Other fundraising (online, T-shirt sales) $10,000 240 Marketing Give at least 12 presentations in the community; Get 4 stories in the news 25 Communications Send an email newsletter to donors once each month; Send tax summary letter; Send annual report Total $100,000 423 407 Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 2
Area: Infrastructure and internal operations Goal: Increase our ability to efficiently run our organization. Objective: Leverage volunteer help. Goal: Add 500 volunteer hours this year We ll find areas where volunteers could provide additional help in the office, with fundraising, and taking tasks away from staff, so staff can focus on things within their area of expertise. Area: Grants Goal: Identify, submit, and get grants from private foundations and civic clubs, for a total of $20,000 in 2015. We ll go after key grants that we ve gotten before and use the Foundation Center database to do research and find new ones. We think, based on our research, that we ll get 5 grants at an average of $4,000. Grant Targets Organization Deadline Ask amount Program/Project Notes Action Steps: 1. Identify someone to coordinate the grant effort. 2. Conduct research using the Foundation Center database to identify applicable private foundations. Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 3
3. Create a list of civic clubs that may give. 4. Create a list of upcoming deadlines. 5. Choose the program/project appropriate for each grant/gift. 6. Prepare and submit grant requests. Area: Special events Goal: Raise $10,000 at a program-focused fundraising event held in 2015 with 100 attendees invited by 10 table hosts (assuming banquet tables seating 10 guests). Event details: A program-focused fundraising event is a calculated event that leverages the power of relationships to bring together a group of people who are most likely to care about the nonprofit s programs and be willing to support them. We ll hold our event as a lunch in the Fall. It ll be a one-hour event that will rely on table hosts inviting carefully selected guests. We re planning to have a full event (no empty seats) and receive 75 gifts (75% response rate). Action steps: 1. Designate someone to coordinate the event 4 months before the event 2. Plan the event logistics (date, location, time, 4 months before the event meal, event budget, etc.) 3. Recruit 10 table hosts 3.5 months before the event 4. Train the table hosts and have them start inviting 3 months before the event guests 5. Plan the program 1 month before the event 6. Plan the Ask and choose the amounts 1 month before the event 7. Create the pledge cards and any other materials 2 weeks before the event 8. Ask table hosts for contact info for their guests 7-10 days before the event 9. Call guests to remind them about the event 3 days before the event 10. Prepare registration materials 2 days before the event 11. Double-check the details 1 day before the event 12. Arrive early and set up Event day 13. Send out thank you letters to everyone who gave 1 day after event 14. Do an event post-mortem Within 5 days after the event Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 4
Area: Individuals Goal: Raise $40,000 from individual donors through appeals sent in October, December, and March, May, and August. Our goal is to renew 400 of our current and past donors, volunteers, and supporters. Our current list of donors is about 800. We know from last year that some donors will give multiple times and others will give only once. Our goal is 50% renewal rate from our current donors (which we ll calculate at the end of the year). Appeals: October appeal: 100 donors (12.5% response rate) x $50 avg gift = $5,000 December year-end appeal: 200 donors (25% response rate) x $100 avg gift = $20,000 March appeal: 100 donors (12.5% response rate) x $50 avg gift = $5,000 May appeal: 100 donors (12.5% response rate) x $50 avg gift = $5,000 August appeal: 100 donors (12.5% response rate) x $50 avg gift = $5,000 Action items for each print appeal: 1. Update the mailing list 2 months before mail date 2. Draft the letter 1.5 months before mail date 3. Complete any layout/design work 1 month before mail date 4. Final review/revisions 3 weeks before mail date 5. Print letters 2 weeks before mail date 6. Fold, stuff letters, add postage 1 week before mail date 7. Mail letters Mail Date 8. Monitor responses Up to 3 months after mail date 9. Assess performance (average gift 3 months after mail date size, % response, and cost to raise a dollar: handle returned mail) Action items for each email appeal: 1. Keep the list clean Ongoing 2. Draft the letter 3 weeks before send date 3. Update the website and any page 2 weeks before send date linked to the appeal 4. Complete any layout/design work on 2 weeks before send date the appeal 5. Final review/revisions 1 week before send date 6. Load up appeal into eblast software 2 days before send date 7. Mail letters Send Date 8. Monitor responses Up to 6 weeks after send date 9. Assess performance (open rate, click 2 months after send date through rate, average gift size, % response: handle bounces) Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 5
Area: Major Gifts Goal: Raise $20,000 from 10 major donors We ll focus on our top 10 donor prospects and work to get a $2,000 from each one OUTSIDE of our event and our renewal appeals. We ll create customized cultivation plans for each one. Top 10 prospects: Name Linkage Interest Ability Notes Area: Other fundraising Goal: Generate $10,000 from other sources Objective: Raise $5,000 from online giving We ll ask our Facebook fans once a week or so to support our activities, especially when we have cases with significant medical needs. Based on our history of online giving, we expect to have an average of 10 gifts per month at an average of $50 per gift for a total of $3,000. Also based on our history, we expect to raise $2,000 for specific animals as needed. Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 6
Objective: Raise $2,500 from 500 T-shirt sales We have a super cute design for a new T-shirt that we plan to sell online on our Facebook page and our website throughout the year. We ll also offer it at adoption events and any other activities where we re in the public. T-shirts will cost us about $5 to print and we plan to sell them for $10 for a profit of $5 per shirt. If we sell 500 shirts with a $5 profit, we ll clear $2,500. We will not consider these people as donors since they ve received something in return. Although we will create a process for converting these folks to donors, and hope to see 50 of them make a donation in addition to their T-shirt purchase. Objective: Raise $1,500 from general donations We often receive donations at adoption events, website visitors, Memorials and Honorariums, Birthday gifts, and other various sources. Based on our history, we estimate we ll raise $1,500 from general donations this year. Also based on our history, we estimate there will be about 100 gifts. Objective: Raise $1,000 at Adoption Events Every month, we hold adoption events at various locations in the community, including PetSmart. We ll ask people to consider making a donation to help us. We hope to raise $1,000 from 50 people in $20 gifts. Area: Marketing Goal: Give at least 1 presentation each month to church groups, civic clubs, or other gatherings of potential supporters. We will find civic clubs, garden clubs, church groups and other places where we can give a presentation on our work each month. We ll make sure to include a How You Can Help sheet for every attendee. Goal: Get at least 4 stories in the local news this year. We will send a press release of pertinent stories regularly to the local news media. We ll also work to develop relationships with reporters and news managers. Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 7
Area: Communications Goal: Maintain donor communications and strengthen relationships through a monthly email newsletter. Each newsletter will have a theme and will feature a story about an animal we ve saved. Themes and Schedule Send date Theme Writers Notes July 1 August 1 September 1 October 1 November 1 December 1 January 1 February 1 March 1 April 1 May 1 June 1 Freedom rides Dog Days of Summer Back to school pet training Halloween keep your pet safe Thanksgiving we re grateful for our supporters Holiday season Winter keep your pet healthy in the cold Valentine s Day show your pet some love Going green why your pet sometimes eats grass Kitten season Mother s Day spay Father s Day - neuter Goal: Maintain donor relationships by sending a tax letter summarizing the donor s gifts. We ll prepare and send a letter in January 2016 summarizing the donor s giving in 2015. There will be no ask in this letter. Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 8
Goal: Maintain donor relationships by sending an annual report. We ll prepare and send an annual report early in January 2016 summarizing our nonprofit s activities in 2015. There will be no ask in this letter. Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 9
Summary Calendar Grants Special Events Individual donors Major gifts (2016) Marketing Communications Other (vacations, training, etc.) Jan Presentation Email newsletter Tax letter Feb Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Annual Report Mar As required Email appeal Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Apr As required Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter May As required Email appeal Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Story in the news Jun As required Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Jul As required Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Best Friends conference Aug As required Email appeal Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Story in the news Sep As required Event Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Oct As required Direct mail appeal Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Story in the news Nov As required Make 1 ask Presentation Email newsletter Year: Dec As required Email appeal Presentation Story in the news Email newsletter Fundraising Blueprint SAMPLE Annual Fundraising Plan 10