A new decade is upon us! I don't know about you, but I am excited for a new year full of new opportunities! Fundraising trends come and go, but one thing always remains the same. Our objective is to build more meaningful relationships with our donors. Here are a few tips to kick-off your strategy for fundraising in 2020:

1. Engage all stakeholders. If you know me, you know that my mantra is “Fundraising is everyone’s responsibility.” That does NOT mean that everyone is asking for money. What it does mean is that everyone is invested in the success of the organization’s fundraising strategy. That means every stakeholder is actively advocating for your organization in their personal and professional networks – sharing social media, appeals and event invitations. Tip: Meet with your board members and volunteers once per quarter to touch base and ask what role they would like to play in fundraising.

1. Invest in the tools you need to get more efficient. There are SO many tools I cannot live without – Acuity Scheduling, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Canva, PayPal, and Kajabi, just to name a few. Yes, they require monthly subscriptions, but they are worth EVERY penny. Remember how valuable your time is and spend what it takes to free up more time to focus on what you do best – creating impact for those that you serve! Tip: Outsource activities that you are the least efficient at. This could be bookkeeping, fundraising, grant-writing, marketing, etc. Focus on YOUR strengths!

2. Innovate engagement activities. Don’t assume that what you’ve always done to engage donors is what you will continue to do. Get creative when it comes to volunteer and fundraising events. Ask yourself “How can I more genuinely connect to my donors?” “What would my donors or prospective donors enjoy?” Don’t try to please your entire donor base with one event. Consider segmenting events like you do communication! Often, smaller, more targeted events are more successful at getting the right people in the room. Tip: Review your donor list and identify segments that might lead to more meaningful events.

As always, if you would like additional support or would like to explore how we might work together, please schedule a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call HERE.

Cheers to a fabulous and successful new year!