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let the summer begin and plan for the fall!

let the summer begin and plan for the fall!

Strategic Fundraising

I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  This is a great time of year where people actually downshift a bit.  It’s also a time to plan for the fall, as many of your major gift donors will go off on their summer vacations and take time with their families. 

This may be a slow time for gift solicitations as the challenge to set up meetings with those traveling becomes even more difficult.  It is, however, a great time to look forward to the next six months of strategic fundraising.  Who do you need to see? Can you use this time for research? Donor stewardship? Can you refine your case statement?  Can you strengthen your strategic development plan?  I call it “getting ready to get ready.”

There is a different rhythm to strategic fundraising as the seasons change. For some regions in the country this is a big time of year for golf outings and barbeques. . .planning for upcoming fall galas and auctions have begun. These events are great for strategic fundraising. Even more so, this is a great opportunity to cultivate new relationships.  Try to find the tempo which best suits your organization and enjoy the coming months.  Experience tells us that the fall will be very busy.

“When faith and hope fail, as they do sometimes,
we must try charity, which is love in action.”

–Dinah Craik

Written by:  Paul D’Alessandro

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