The Fundraising Planner: A Working Model for Raising the Dollars You Need

I loved this book. It was one of the first books on fundraising for nonprofits I purchased back in 2004 to learn about fundraising in the nonprofit community or sector. Throughout my 2-year stint as an associate consultant at a consulting firm specializing in capital campaign direction, I thought of and refered to this book book often. Besides the fact that it provides a stellar model for NPOs to use in developing a fundraising plan for their organizations, it also introduced me to the 3 C's: Capacity, Commitment, and Connection. If you turn to pages 85 and 86 of this lovely book you will learn that one criteria for evaluating prospective donors is to consider their "capacity" to give. Another important criteria to consider is the "connection" a prospective donor has with the organization. I like the third criteria term "commitment," but I don't think the author uses it appropriately here. If a donor has already given a gift to the nonprofit, then they are no longer a prospect. They are part of the nonprofit's family so to speak. They merely need to be upgraded over time. I like to think of there really being 5 C's when evaluating a potential donor or an existing donor: 1. Capacity: How much can the individual give as a gift? The wealthier the better. 2. Connection: What is the individual's connection to the nonprofit? Without some sort of connection there is little hope that the individual will be willing to donate something. 3. Commitment: What is the individual's history of commitment toward this nonprofit or similar nonprofits? Has the individual at least made some donations or volunteered their time? 4. Care: What is the individual's history of caring for or being concerned about the cause or causes promoted by your nonprofit or similar nonprofits? Does this individual at least have some positive emotion regarding your nonprofit? 5. Contribution: What contributions has this individual actually made to your nonprofit? The larger money gifts the better. This book is designed as a workbook. And it is really well outlined and written. The exercises it includes will help the reader create a fundraising roadmap to success. It will help the reader get a fundraising plan down on paper so the nonprofit it was written for can benefit from it. This book is centered on a fundraising model that most NPOs can follow. Creating a written fundraising plan is not a waste of time. This is just as true as it is not a waste of time for a for-profit to prepare a written business plan that includes a written marketing plan. With a written fundraising plan in your arsenal of fundraising tools, you will be able to improve your command of scheduling and your ability to coordinate and track fundraising progress. If you cannot monitor your fundraising progress or lack of progress, then you will ultimately fail to reach your fundraising goals. Get this book and use it to prosper. 5 stars!

Great tool for fundraising planning. Workable model for creating a donation and fundraising plan for nonprofit companies.

The Fundraising Planner does a nice job covering the "particulars" of planning without losing sight of the bigger picture. Like other titles in the Jossey-Bass series, this guide is helpful in structuring an approach and strategy for raising funds. Practical and well-written.

This is a pretty solid introductory book to fundraising, donor management, proposals, etc. If you are new to the business I would definitely recommend it, though more experienced people might not find it quite as helpful. (though there are still a some good nuggets of information)

Terry & Doug Schaff have provided a virtual road map in The Fundraising Planner. The information is presented in a clear and well thought out manner presenting information that can be seamlessly inserted into your current programs. The planner illustrates how to develop, plan and implement the strategies necessary to conduct successful and accountable fundraising activities. This book truly has something for everyone. From the neophyte to the seasoned professional, the Schaffs have provided a tool that will take your plans to the next level. The planner truly is a step-by-step guide that does not insult the reader with coddling phrases and usless data. Each chapter delves ever deeper into the raison d'etre for each mechanism used to move the fundraising process.As a Development Director I found many applications within the planner that I can utilize to complement my planning activities. The real world applications provided after each step are valuable exercises as you facilitate your yearly planning process. The information presented is very timely, relevant and useful.Well Done!