In this third and final part of our fundraising planning series, we focus on finding the relevant “owners” of tasks.  Once you have a solid plan of attack for the new fiscal year of fundraising, having created the communication plan you need to share with your audience of donors, volunteers and funders, it’s time to delegate areas of responsibility for these initiatives.

There are vital players who can contribute to a successful year of fundraising.  It’s important that organizations identify the appropriate individuals and groups to take ownership of different tasks related to fundraising goals.  

Consider some great human resources already at hand:

  • Volunteer Coordinator – This person is the connection to your organization for so many people.  Who better to know the unique talents and skills of individuals who willingly give of their time to support your mission.  Ask your volunteer coordinator to recommend people with the skill sets that will contribute well to fundraising efforts – relationship building, communication, marketing, event planning, writing.
  • Donors – Can you enlist the help of a longtime donor?  If they’ve supported your organization for quite some time, they’re invested in its success and would likely be interested in contributing more than just their financial resources.
  • Committees – Give someone from a non-fundraising committee the opportunity to try something new with your organization.  There is such a thing as volunteer burnout when people are looking for additional opportunities to get involved (and to network!), but they are never given the opportunity to shine.  Members of your finance or program committees, for example, may be eager to try something new and would appreciate the recognition for their efforts thus far.

Reminder! Don’t forget to include measurable goals as you delegate and assign fundraising projects. Setting benchmarks is a necessary tool in assessing progress towards your organization’s goals.