Work Smarter, Not Harder
I think we can all agree that we work hard. But do we always work smart?
Creating an AFP is easy. It’s a great way to manage and motivate your staff, volunteers, board members and supervisor. An AFP develops outcomes that can be used for organizational assessment and future planning. An effective AFP sets expectations and helps staff members reach their individual goals while clearly defining their roles and responsibilities. It is the road map for staff and key stakeholders to move their institutions forward.
First, ask yourself this question: “How would you describe your institution’s current annual fundraising plan?” Here are a few common answers and some thinking to guide where to go from there.
Plan? What plan?
Let’s be honest: Most fundraisers, especially in smaller fundraising shops, do not have a comprehensive AFP. You may have a plan for specific campaigns or programs, or staff members may individually plan what they are working on, but there most likely isn’t an AFP for the entire unit or team. If you’re in this situation, that’s okay. Begin a conversation today with your fellow staff members on the benefits of creating a comprehensive AFP that includes all stakeholders’ participation. (My book, Annual Fundraising Plans Made Simple: A Road Map for Community Colleges and Small Development Shops 2nd Edition, can also help you get started.)
We have a plan, but it isn’t working well or meeting all our goals.
You may have an AFP (usually limited in scope), but all or most members of the team have difficulty sticking to it. If that’s your situation, don’t be discouraged! You are already heading in the right direction. Your AFP may need some updating. One explanation: Those responsible for implementing the AFP may view it as an unnecessary inconvenience in a busy workday. There are many ways to overcome this hurdle.
A first step is to review the targeted outcomes with your team to ensure that these outcomes are based on metrics and not-pie-in-the sky projections. Others may have an AFP that they adhere to, but it may not be working well or meeting their goals. If that’s you, don’t be disheartened. Take a step back for a moment and re-evaluate. Clear your head. Try to look at it from the viewpoint of a third party, such as a consultant. Remember, you are the one who is closest to all the action. You have the expertise. You just need a little separation. When you look at your AFP again, you may be able to do so a little more objectively. Your AFP is probably not working due to one or both of these factors:
- The plan is not clear and concise.
- The tactics in the plan are not being implemented effectively to attain the desired outcomes.
We have a plan, but it’s not realistic.
Still others may have an AFP, but it isn’t realistic. A common pitfall when creating an AFP is to over-promise and under-deliver. When this happens, people quickly determine that the AFP isn’t useful, which often has a negative impact on morale. The AFP may be placed on a shelf, never to be looked at again. Don’t fall into this trap. For an AFP to be effective, it must be realistic.
We have one, but it needs improvement.
Finally, you may have a pretty good AFP, but you know that there is always room for improvement. For the individuals in this group, I commend you for your effort and interest in continuing your quest for improvement. I encourage you to celebrate achieving your milestones.
Be Mission-Centric
I’ll be direct. You will never maximize your philanthropic opportunities if you can’t answer the following five questions with a “Hell Yeah! Yes!”
- Do I know my organization’s mission statement?
- Do all staff know our organization’s mission statement?
- Do we all reflect our mission statement in everything we say and do?
- Can we enthusiastically share our mission statement with all constituencies?
- Do our board members know our mission, and do they feel empowered to share it?
If you answered ‘yes’ to all five questions above, I congratulate you. Keep it front and center moving forward. If you couldn’t answer ‘yes’ to all five questions, that’s okay - you have a starting point to move forward. For all, I recommend you implement the following strategy:
Put your mission statement on every piece of literature that goes to any of your key stakeholders. Once your mission statement is prevalent in all print materials and on your website, it becomes easier and more natural for all staff members to express. Sharing your mission statement will become natural, sincere and powerful.
Your AFP is needed today, more than ever. Because as Yogi also once said,
Jeff Bagel will join us on May 14, 2025 to share his insights on Annual Fundraising Plans during an in-person workshop! Whether you have a plan, or yours needs some work, this session will help you identify strategies to hit your plan out of the park!
