Fundraising Plan: View, copy or download the template

Develop your strategy

Now that you have developed a high-level campaign budget and fundraising schedule, you need to develop a fundraising strategy. How are you going to raise the money you need to run your campaign? 

We suggest you and your team work through the following exercises:

• Fundraising schedule
  • Map out your campaign activities and associated costs and funds raised on a month-by-month basis. Identify what you'll spend money, how you plan to raise money and who will raise it.
• Target donation size
  • Who are you planning to raise money from? Mainly large donors or are you focused on a large number of grassroots contributions?
  • Map out a few fundraising scenarios and discuss the pros and cons of each approach
• Fundraising strategy summary
  
  • Can you articulate your fundraising strategy in one page? If not, it's worth taking time to refine your fundraising target, timing of activities and fundraising approaches using this template.

Additional planning notes

Prospect List & Preparing for the Ask

As you’re putting together your strategy you’ll want to create a confidential prospect list. Work with the candidate, to create a confidential prospect list that you will use to make personal solicitations.

Do your research! Are there old lists from previous campaigns that you can access? Have you looked at like minded candidates donor lists or similar campaigns?

Interview the top 5-10 people most know to or affiliated with the campaign. You are looking to uncover who they believe would be willing to support the campaign with a financial contribution. Interview as many individuals as possible and try to get each to identify a minimum of 10 people. Populate a list with first and last names, phone numbers, emails, mailing addresses.

After you’ve assembled your list, you’ll need to decide which way(s) approach these particular individuals. Also, what is their capacity to give?

Ask about gift amount when generating your prospect list. What amount do you think this individual might have the capacity/willingness to give to the campaign?”