Assessing Fundraising Readiness

Before kicking off any fundraising campaign it is important to assess your organizational readiness. What follows is a check list of items that should be addressed and/or secured before you enter into any grassroots fundraising project.

___ 1. A clear organizational mission.

___ 2. A strategic plan that addresses what you hope to accomplish as an organization (in broad terms) and how you plan to accomplish it (in specific activities for the coming year). It should be clear how your annual plan relates to your strategic direction.

___ 3. A case statement including a brief organizational history and a description of the problem you are addressing, how you are addressing it and why your organization is the proper vehicle to carry out the work.

____ 4. A specific action plan for how you are going to run the campaign, including timelines and responsibilities for implementing the tasks of the campaign.

____ 5. A current 501(c)3 letter.

___ 6. A current list of your Board of Directors with their affiliations.

___ 7. An updated house mailing list and/or information on what other lists might be available and appropriate for your organization's use.

___ 8. A current and projected budget and your most recent financial report.

___ 9. A strong cadre of volunteers committed and trained to solicit contributions and follow-up on donor contacts.

___ 10. The involvement and commitment of the entire organization to actively fundraise and to integrate fundraising into all the organization's activities.