Fundraising Strategy & Planning
A fundraising strategy is only useful if your organisation can actually deliver it
In short: I work with CEOs, Directors and Heads of Fundraising to review their current approach, understand where the opportunities and risks lie, and develop a clear, realistic fundraising plan that reflects your ambitions, resources and capacity.
It’s easy to end up with a fundraising plan that’s full of good ideas, ambitious targets and new opportunities.
But when you’re already managing a busy team, balancing competing priorities and trying to deliver this year’s income, finding the time and resources to put those ideas into practice can be much harder.
I’ve been responsible for delivering fundraising strategies myself, and I know that a good plan needs to do more than identify where income might come from. It needs to reflect your organisation’s ambitions, the resources you have available, the relationships you can build and the decisions you’re prepared to make.
That’s the approach I take to fundraising strategy and planning.
How I can help
Sometimes that means creating a new fundraising strategy from the ground up. Other times, it’s about reviewing what’s already in place, challenging assumptions and helping you decide where to focus.
The work might include:
Reviewing existing fundraising income, performance and activity.
Identifying opportunities for income growth and diversification.
Assessing the risks associated with existing funding streams.
Developing fundraising strategies and practical delivery plans.
Setting realistic income targets and agreeing priorities.
Reviewing the capacity and investment needed to deliver.
Working with trustees and senior leaders to build understanding and agreement.
I don’t believe the answer is always to launch another income stream or ask your team to do more. Sometimes the most valuable outcome is understanding what you should stop doing, where you should invest and how to make better use of the resources you already have.
What you’ll come away with
A clear understanding of your fundraising position, agreed priorities and a realistic plan your organisation can use.
Depending on the project, this might be a full fundraising strategy, a focused 12–18 month plan or a review of a particular income opportunity.
Most importantly, you’ll have greater confidence in the decisions you’re making and what needs to happen next.
Who is this for?
This support is particularly useful if you’re:
A CEO who needs a clearer picture of your charity’s fundraising opportunities and risks.
A Director or Head of Fundraising reviewing your income strategy or planning for the next financial year.
An organisation looking to diversify income or reduce reliance on a small number of funders.
A charity preparing for growth, organisational change or investment in fundraising.
A leadership team that needs to agree what is realistic and where to focus.
How we can work together
Strategy projects are usually delivered over an agreed period, with time for reviewing information, speaking to key people and developing the plan together.
I can also provide ongoing support to help you put the strategy into practice, review progress and adapt as things change.
“So so excited about this work, and appreciate the level of detail and coding it into focus areas for us. Thank you!”
Rachel Mormon
Chair, Verity