Strategy

It is originally a word used in military, refers to an action plan developed to achieve a particular or a set of goals.  This term in modern times is used in all business and non business activities. We have business strategies, marketing strategies, product development strategies and in voluntary sector, it is mainly communication and fundraising strategy.

A fundraising strategy is a detailed plan that identifies the need and resources for an organisation, project or event, along with the milestones to achieve, timeframe, methods to be employed and target audience. Before developing the strategy, one needs to:

• Understand the nature of your organisation's growth
• Understand characteristics of leadership in relation to institutional growth
• Conduct a Strengths Weakness Opportunities Threat (SWOT) analysis
• Decide organisational priorities

Why develop a fundraising strategy? – A better planning helps to avoid wasted precious time and resources.

The development of a fundraising strategy will enable an organisation to ensure that:

• there is a shared understanding of the aims and priorities for the organisation
• the agreed priorities with what the organisation is set up to do
• there is a shared strategy that sets out how those priorities are going to be realised

Who develops the strategy?

• Fundraising head
• CEO
• Board member responsible for fundraising