Posts Tagged ‘Nonprofit’
Tracking Progress & Measuring Success: How to Know Your Fundraising Is Working
By the time many organizations reach this stage of fundraising planning, they’ve already done a lot of hard work. Goals have been set. Activities have been chosen. Roles have been assigned. Now comes the step that turns effort into clarity: tracking progress and measuring success. For staff members, this step can feel intimidating—or even unnecessary—especially…
Read MoreFrom Good Intentions to Follow-Through: Assigning Roles & Responsibilities in Your Fundraising Plan
If you’ve ever created a fundraising plan that looked solid on paper, but it stalled out in practice, there’s a good chance the issue wasn’t strategy. It was ownership. This week we’re focusing on a step that is often rushed or skipped altogether: assigning clear roles and responsibilities. Because a fundraising plan doesn’t move forward…
Read MoreWho We Are, Why We Serve: The Story of Heart for the Community Consulting
Note: The blog in its original form was published in August 2025, but has been updated. It is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States—a federal holiday when some people take the day “off” from work, while others treat it as a day “on” for service and community engagement. Some of my clients…
Read MoreFrom Strategy to Structure: Building a Fundraising Calendar Your Team Will Actually Execute
In the last installment of this series, we focused on identifying which fundraising channels you plan to pursue in 2026 — grants, individual donors, events, corporate partners, appeals, and peer-to-peer efforts. But even the best strategy can fall apart without structure. Knowing what you want to do is important. Knowing when to do it —…
Read MoreFrom Goals to Growth: Building the Right Fundraising Channels for 2026
In our last newsletter, we focused on the importance of setting SMART fundraising goals — clear, measurable, and grounded in reality. That step is essential, but it’s only part of the work. Once you know what you need to raise, the next (and often trickier) question is, “How are we actually going to raise it?”…
Read MoreFrom Reflection to Results: Setting SMART Fundraising Goals That Actually Move the Needle
In the last step of fundraising planning, we focused on reflection—looking honestly at what happened in the previous year and using it to inform the new year. That work typically results in a simple 1–2 page summary that outlines: This reflection phase is powerful because it grounds your planning in reality—not wishful thinking. But reflection…
Read MoreReflect, Review, Refine: Your First Move in Effective Fundraising Planning
Goal: Understand what worked, what didn’t, and where to focus your energy in 2026. 1. Gather All Relevant Data 💗 Collect the full picture before analyzing. 2. Create a Master List of Fundraising Activities 💗 Looking at the information you gathered, document everything that brought in revenue the previous year. List each activity separately so…
Read MoreFundraising Planning Piece by Piece: The Components
Last week we looked at when you should begin to craft your fundraising plan, this week we look at how – its components. You don’t need fancy software or an army of consultants (though they can help 🙂). Many successful nonprofits start with a simple document or spreadsheet. At minimum, your plan should answer these…
Read MoreA Fundraising Plan That Works: Start Early, Stay Consistent, Stay Aligned
By Kia Chatmon, Heart for the Community Last week, we introduced the concept of a fundraising plan – why it matters, what it contains. This week we look at the mechanics of creating it. Timing: When Should I Create It? You know how every January we promise ourselves we’ll finally get organized: eat better, call…
Read MoreStop Chasing Random Opportunities—Create a Fundraising Plan
By Kia Chatmon, Heart for the Community Even before I established Heart for the Community, I used to tell my clients — fundraising is a lot like dating. You put yourself out there, try to make a good impression, and hope someone sees your value enough to invest in a long-term relationship. But just like…
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