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Before beginning, you should:
1) Attain full support of your board and key staff.
2) Determine the goals and objectives of the study.
3) Develop a timeline.
4) Select an "outside party" (consulting firm)
to conduct the study.
Your consultant will help you:
1) Develop a list of donors, board members and community
leaders to be interviewed (approximately 30-40 names).
2) Assist in drafting appropriate questions for the
interviews.
3) Assist in drafting a questionnaire and mailing to
250 individuals.
4) Review final draft of report.
5) Review executive summary.
6) Present findings to board and key staff.
7) Review recommendations and implement.
8) If campaign recommended, begin within 90 days.
A comprehensive Planning Study will include a review
of the following information:
- List of board members: executive members, terms,
committee assignments, giving history; evidence of
board participation in fundraising activities
- List of current development committee members and
giving history
- Staff organizational chart
- Board organizational chart
- Long-range or strategic plan
- Mission and vision statements
- Components of current annual plans
- Components of current planned giving program
- Special events: dates, audience, net income, numbers
attending
- Ability and willingness to integrate annual, planned
giving, special events and endowment/capital campaign/new
earned revenue streams
- Gift acceptance guidelines (if available); need
to develop if they do not exist or if they are not
current
- Current marketing materials
- Ability to articulate a compelling case for support
- Copies of annual campaign appeal letters and brochures
(past 3 years)
- Copies of response cards and development collateral
materials
- Copies of standard gift acknowledgment letters
- Donor stewardship plan (if available)
- Assessment of technology and ability to handle flow
of gifts, acknowledgments, invitations, stewardship,
etc.
- Other information as requested by consulting firm
- Commitment and mutual respect between board, staff
and volunteers
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