Fundraising and Development

Moving your organization from a “fundraising” paradigm to a “development” paradigm will dramatically affect your efforts and actions whether approaching a capital campaign or a bake sale.

Fundraising:

• Often based on short-term goals (ie. “making this year’s budget”)

• Ad-hoc and not connected to an overarching strategic plan

• Event and logistics based – lots of things are done to keep people from having to directly ask for resources

• Tons of work that does not build upon itself – tend to “start from scratch” over and over again (ie. no database)

• Desperately asking for “funds,” making donors uneasy and disconnected – “DISTRESS”

   

  Development:

   

• Based on long-term goals with short-term and long-term strategies

• Nothing is done without being able to connect it to identified goals and a systematic strategy

• Based on long-term relationship building such that “the ask” is “relational” not “transactional”

• All efforts build upon previous efforts, ultimately becoming easier and easier (or at least more and more effective with the same amount of “inputs”) – (i.e. database)

• Giving the donors that sense of mutual confidence and an OPPORTUNITY to participate in a well-planned-out and successful project/campaign/organization – “Success”

For assistance contact education@ussa.org