Map Out Your To-Dos

Suggested Timeframe: July/August

Starting with a specific goal in mind will help you to create clear action steps for your team and clear calls to action for your supporters.

• I know where funds are needed most.

• I know the dollar amount we need to raise.

• I know my budget. My budget was approved.

I’ve assembled my team.

Make sure everyone on board has a clear understanding of your year-end goal and theme so that all fundraising strategies are consistent.

• I held a year-end campaign brainstorm session with my staff, board, and volunteers.

• Each member of my team has a defined role in our year-end campaign and understands what’s needed of them.

Suggested Timeframe: September

For smooth EOY receipting and ongoing database maintenance, be sure that the following are complete:

• All users have the appropriate level of access to the database.

• I have no duplicate records or duplicate codes.

• I created new codes for my year-end campaign.

• I stored new, personalized letter and email thank you templates in my database.

• All gifts have designation codes (if applicable).

Prepare your contact lists so it’s easier to frame your asks appropriately later on.

• I created segmented contact lists based on my reports (top donors, previous year-end donors, other groups I’ve identified as being a crucial target).

• I conducted prospect research and wealth screening to identify major donors in my database.

• I made efforts to recruit new donors (This can be through paid marketing lists and/or your own donor engagement).

• I know which platform(s) I’m going to leverage to reach each segmented group.

Suggested Timeframe: October

What’s your year-end campaign theme? Make sure it’s reflected throughout all of your communications. These are the last tasks you’ll wrap up before go-time!

• I understand what worked and what didn’t work in last year’s campaign.

• I created a communications timeline, mapping out when and how communications will be sent.

• Tasks have been assigned to the appropriate person and added to their respective calendars.

• I’ve written content and designed templates for my letter, email, and social media outreach.

• My online donation, crowdfunding, and volunteer forms have been created.

• I tested the donor experience. All forms, website, and communications (including thank-yous!) are good to go.