Annual Fundraising Plan Tool

Fundraising Planning Toolkit | Mission Increase

This chart answers one question: what have we built for champions to step into? For each category, write the concrete steps a champion can take at three depths of involvement. Participation steps are the entry points. Engagement steps deepen the relationship. Ownership steps invite a champion to bring others along. Most ministries are strong in a few cells and thin in others, and seeing the gaps is the point.

0 of 15 pathways defined0%

Participation

The entry step. Low commitment and little prior knowledge. A first invitation to get involved and experience the cause.

Engagement

Deeper, consistent involvement. Greater understanding and a longer-term, mutual commitment to the cause.

Ownership

The champion makes the cause their own and begins inviting and equipping others. Think replication: disciples who make disciples.

Participation

Engagement

Ownership

The Annual Fundraising Plan. Work through the seven steps, then the final step compiles your printable plan. Values you enter early carry forward automatically, and cells that fill in for you are shaded green.

Annual Fundraising Plan Template

This tool helps you gather data to set informed goals and plan the steps you will take to meet them. It contains seven steps: Review Vision & Mission, Assessing Current Fundraising Systems, Review Past Fundraising Data, Set Strategic Fundraising Goals, Set Financial Targets, Create Action Steps, and Establish an Ongoing Review Process. The final step compiles everything into one printable document to share with your board, in a giver meeting, or for a foundation application.

Some cells auto fill from earlier steps and are shaded green. Give yourself time for each step, and before you begin each one, pause and pray. We strongly encourage you to work with your Area Director while filling out this tool.

Step 1: Review Vision & MissionStart here. Before setting any numbers, ground this plan in why your ministry exists and what you actually need to raise this year. Everything else builds on this step.

Part 1: Where are we headed?

Prayerfully review your organizational foundation. Discern together with the Lord where you are headed and where you need to remain faithful.

Vision Statement

Mission Statement

Part 2: What are our financial needs this year?

Prayerfully review your budget. Based on where the Lord is calling you this next year, what do you need?

Based on your ideal budget, how much do you need to raise this year?

Are there projects, programs, or personnel in upcoming years that you will need to raise seed-funding for this year?

Did you meet your budget last year? If not, how did you pivot?

Part 3: What will affect our fundraising this year?

Prayerfully consider what adjustments or changes need to be made this year. Bring before the Lord the factors that could impact your fundraising this year.

What factors, both within your control and outside of it, could affect your fundraising efforts next year? (Think staff or programmatic change, economic recession, legal changes.)

Example: new development director, increased tariffs on shipped containers, new tax laws impacting major givers.

Are there program changes? (Adding or enhancing, replacing or eliminating programs or services)

Consider: What are you adding? How many will be served? How much will it cost? How will it be funded? If eliminating or changing, consider how many people will be affected and how many champions are invested in those programs.

Step 2: Assessing Current Fundraising SystemsAn honest gut-check of what's working and what isn't across every fundraising channel. These ratings directly shape the goals you set in Step 4, so resist rounding up.

1. Review the list of fundraising systems. Underneath each system are lists of recommended activities. 2. Give a gut-check rating to each of the activities indicating how well your organization is accomplishing each statement. The chart is color coded for ease of review. 3. Invite others to rate the following activities to provide multiple perspectives. 4. Review your activity looking for patterns of things that are going well or need attention. 5. Your ratings here will directly shape the goals you set in Step 4 and the action steps you build in Step 6.

0 - Non Existent 1 - Needs Work 2 - Adequate 3 - Fantastic

MAJOR GIFTS

Actively identifying potential major givers

Actively nurturing and stewarding major gift relationships

Making clear, well-prepared asks of major givers

Using a major gifts tracking system

MONTHLY GIVING PROGRAM

Program established with a clear identity and name, including supporting technology systems

Communication strategy for acquiring and converting new monthly givers

Onboarding process for new monthly givers

Ongoing communication plan for current monthly givers

COMMUNICATIONS

Clear, compelling Case for Support

A communications calendar mapping activity across the year

Communications content developed and balanced across all five communication types

Intentional channel strategy across email, social media, and direct mail, matched to audience

Timely, accurate gift receipting that meets legal requirements for tax-deductible gifts

Inviting champions to take next-step growth actions across all five P-E-O categories

ACQUISITION EVENTS

Large-scale events with champions actively inviting new guests, not just attending

Micro-events that are champion-led and champion-hosted, with the ministry equipping rather than driving

A clear Champion Participation Project offering a bite-sized entry point for new champions

All three event types working together as one coordinated acquisition strategy

CHURCH ENGAGEMENT

Actively identifying churches aligned with our mission and cause

Actively cultivating relationships with churches, seeking mutual Kingdom impact

Data capturing where champions attend church

Communicating mission directly to churches

GRANT-SEEKING

Researching mission-aligned grant-makers

Actively cultivating relationships with grant-makers

Writing and reviewing grant proposals prior to submission

Using a grant tracking system

Fulfilling grant reporting and compliance requirements after an award

BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT

Actively identifying businesses aligned with our mission and cause

Actively cultivating relationships with businesses, seeking mutual Kingdom impact

Champions are utilizing employer matching on their giving

ESTATE & PLANNED GIFTS

Leadership understands the basics of planned giving and when it may become relevant

A simple way exists for champions to learn this option is available

A relationship is in place with an attorney, financial advisor, or planned-giving specialist for when a champion expresses interest

FEE FOR SERVICE

Selling merchandise connected to our mission

Charging registration fees for programs or events

Offering paid services aligned with our mission

GIFTS IN KIND

Actively receiving and stewarding donated items

Actively receiving and stewarding donated services

Accurately receipting non-cash gifts according to legal requirements

NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP

Nonprofit-wide adoption of biblical fundraising principles

ED/CEO availability and commitment to fundraising role

Staff dedicated to the fundraising role, with the skills and capacity to succeed

Board commitment to their role in fundraising

Board commitment to personally giving to the mission

Regularly engaging with Mi Area Director for coaching and accountability

FUNDRAISING OPERATIONS

A P-E-O structure embedded across fundraising activities

A CRM or database that is optimized and actively utilized

A secure gift processor and donor interface that integrate smoothly with our CRM

Financial reports that are accessible and used to track fundraising

Activities Metrics

These metrics show whether the systems you just rated above are actually being used. Looking back at your current fiscal year, gather what data you can for each.

	Current Fiscal Year
Major Gifts
How many face-to-face major giver meetings did you have per month, on average?
Communications
What is the size of your print mailing list?
What is the size of your email mailing list?
How many newsletter issues did you send (electronic or print)?
How many appeal letters, direct mail pieces, or e-solicitations did you send?
Acquisition Events
How many people attended your events?
Volunteers
How many total volunteers did you have?
How many volunteer hours were contributed?
Of those volunteers, how many are also givers?

Step 3: Review Past Fundraising DataLook backward before looking forward. The Current Year Target numbers you enter here become the baseline every later step compares against.

These income stream categories reflect Mi's recommended fundraising channels. 1. Enter numbers you have available for funds raised. 2. Add in the individual giving stats. 3. Review your data from steps 2 and 3. Look for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Income Stream	2 Years Ago	Last year	Year-to-Date	Current Year Target	Total % of Income
Major Gifts					n/a
Monthly Giving					n/a
Events					n/a
Communications					n/a
Grants					n/a
Churches					n/a
Fee for Service					n/a
Other					n/a
TOTAL	$0	$0	$0	$0

Total % of Income auto-calculates as each stream's Current Year Target divided by the target total.

What gift anomalies do you need to account for?

What historical trends do we need to account for?

Giving Statistics

	2 Years Ago	Last year	Year-to-Date (Nov 1)	Current Year Target
Individuals
How many people are in your database?
How many of these people gave financially?
How many of these people are major givers?
How many of these people are monthly givers?
How many of these people were first-time givers?
How many of these people are lapsed givers?
How many of these people INCREASED their giving?
How many of these people DECREASED their giving?
Institutional Connections
How many grants were received?
How many church partnerships?
How many businesses gave?

Step 4: Set Strategic Fundraising GoalsGoals about champion growth, not just dollars. Any dollar change you note here carries forward automatically into Step 5.

Write down 1-3 strategic goals you want to accomplish over the next 3-5 years. Articulate them using the SMART categories.

SMART: Specific (What? Who? Why? When? Where?) · Measurable (Can it be evaluated?) · Achievable (Why and how is it attainable and realistic?) · Relevant (How does this grow your impact?) · Time-Bound (When will it be accomplished?)

NOTE: Strategic fundraising goals are primarily about the growth of your champions or changes to your ministry's fundraising processes, not just dollar figures. A dollar change is often associated with these goals, but it is a result of the growth you are pursuing, not the goal itself. It is difficult for organizations to focus on more than 3 at a time. If you have more, prioritize them by impact or urgency, and plan to address some of them later.

#1

Goal

Dollar Change Associated

Champion or Process Metric Associated

Goal Rationale / Reasoning

#2

Goal

Dollar Change Associated

Champion or Process Metric Associated

Goal Rationale / Reasoning

#3

Goal

Dollar Change Associated

Champion or Process Metric Associated

Goal Rationale / Reasoning

Step 5: Set Financial TargetsTurn your goals into numbers, broken down by income stream and by quarter, so you know not just how much but when the money is actually needed.

1. With your Strategic Goals in mind, set your financial targets for the next year for each income stream in the Next Year Target column. 2. If a Strategic Goal includes a Dollar Change Associated, make sure that change is reflected in the Next Year Target for the appropriate income stream. 3. Compare that number to the Current Year Target. 4. In the Rationale column, provide the reason why this income stream may go up, down, or stay the same in the coming year. This analysis may lead you to adjust the goal. 5. Note any anomalies or trends you identified in step 3 that need to be factored in.

Strategic Goal #1

Dollar Change Associated: $0

Strategic Goal #2

Dollar Change Associated: $0

Strategic Goal #3

Dollar Change Associated: $0

$0 Total Revenue Goal, Next Year

Fundraising Program Budget This is different from your revenue goal above. It's what it will cost you to run this program: staff time, events, mailings, database, travel. A healthy range is 10 to 25 cents per dollar raised.

Revenue Goal is what you plan to raise. Fundraising Program Budget is what it will cost to raise it: staff time, events, communications, database, travel. A healthy range is 10 to 25 cents per dollar raised; newer programs often run at the higher end.

Income Streams	Current Year Target	Next Year Target	Dollar Change	% Change	Total % of Income
Major Gifts	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Monthly Giving	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Events	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Communications	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Grants	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Churches	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Fee for Service	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
Other	$0		$0	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	$0	$0	$0

Auto-calculated: Current Year Target pulls from Step 3 · Dollar Change = Next - Current · % Change = Dollar Change / Current · Total % of Income = Next Year / Next-Year total.

Cash Flow by QuarterMoney rarely arrives evenly across twelve months. Splitting your targets by quarter helps you spot lean months before they surprise you.

A single annual total is not enough to plan from. Champions give most generously when they are most aware of your impact, and that is rarely spread evenly across twelve months. Split each income stream's Next Year Target across the four quarters below. The quarters should add up to the Next Year Target above, though they do not have to be equal.

Income Streams	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Quarters Total
Major Gifts					$0
Monthly Giving					$0
Events					$0
Communications					$0
Grants					$0
Churches					$0
Fee for Service					$0
Other					$0
TOTAL	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Auto-calculated: Quarters Total should match each stream's Next Year Target from the table above.

Step 6: Create Action StepsThe who, when, and how of executing this plan: your campaign calendar, roles, and specific tasks tied to each income stream.

1. Determine the action steps you (and your team) will take in order to reach your strategic fundraising goals and financial targets. List your major action steps on each line and add additional lines as needed. 2. If a strategic goal maps to a specific income stream, place its action steps in that stream's block below. If a goal is focused on champion growth or an internal process that doesn't map to one income stream, use the Goal-Focused Action Steps block instead. 3. Articulate who is ultimately accountable for ensuring each action step is accomplished, and include who else would be involved. Note when you intend to start and when it should be completed. Some action steps are one-and-done with a clear end date, while others are ongoing and should be reviewed on a regular cadence, such as weekly or monthly, rather than closed out. 4. Regularly review this document and update the progress and adjustments columns. 5. Note the last date reviewed.

Last Reviewed

Strategic Goal #1

Strategic Goal #2

Strategic Goal #3

Campaign CalendarMap your big asks to the moments your ministry's impact is most visible, not to your fiscal stress points. Two to four major campaigns a year is plenty.

Your campaign calendar is the heartbeat of your plan. Champions give most generously when they are most aware of your impact, so build your major asks around those moments rather than around your fiscal stress points. Most ministries do well with two to four major campaign moments a year, balanced with regular cultivation touchpoints in between: stewardship communications, impact reports, events, and personal connection that deepen relationships without an ask attached.

Month	Campaign / Ask	Cultivation / Stewardship

Financial Targets

Major GiftsTARGET $0