Step by step "How to" timeline for an established organization's annual fund

1. By John Roland
Fundraising Executive
jaroland74@yahoo.com
Twitter @jaroland74
John Roland, @jaroland74
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2. 

Meet individually with department
chairs/volunteer leaders to establish
numerical fundraising goals and
needs.
Have a department-wide meeting with
each department separately.
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◦
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Go over Campaign structure and timeline
Request Volunteer Names & ideas (IC5 campaign)
Decide their kickoff event
Discuss volunteers, sponsors & ideas for campaign
John Roland, @jaroland74
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3.  Meet
with Advisory
Committee/Board of Directors.
Explain campaign structure & timeline.
Request volunteer names & ideas (IC5 campaign)
Ask them to serve on the Steering Committee
Request their assistance in local businesses
participation
◦ Ask them about Vendor Campaign
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John Roland, @jaroland74
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4.  Ask
volunteers outside of
Advisory Committee to serve on
Steering Committee.
◦ Key organizational volunteers/top
business leaders
◦ Committed to the mission of your
organization.
◦ Positive attitudes and widely respected
John Roland, @jaroland74
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5.  Write
out list of names of
potential volunteers collected so
far.
 Meet with the Steering Committee
◦ Select over all Campaign Chair
◦ Select Department (Team) Chairs
◦ Approve Kickoff Ideas
◦ Select Kickoff event chairs
◦ Establish Regular meeting times & dates
John Roland, @jaroland74
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6.  Meet
with Marketing
department
◦ Campaign theme is selected and
incorporated into campaign
brochures, flyers, and recognition items.
◦ Marketing orders
brochures, flyers, campaign recognition
items.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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7.  Follow
up with Steering
Committee
◦ Who has said yes/no to Team Chair
positions.
◦ Who has said no and ask if they would
serve in another capacity.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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8.  Find
sponsors for Kickoff Party
& Victory Party.
 Reserve location for Kickoff
Party
 Set deadline for
Team, Community, Student
chairs to be selected.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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9.  Meet
individually with overall
Campaign Chair.
◦ Request they sponsor monthly report
meetings.
◦ Development campaign theme &
focus.
◦ Schedule, organize, and set dates for
monthly report meetings.
◦ Reserve location for Victory Party.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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10.  In a Staff meeting
◦ Present campaign
theme, brochures, flyers, recognition
items, timeline, etc.
◦ Ask for their donations & pledges to lead
the way.
◦ Pass out campaign organizational chart
with the names of the committed
volunteers.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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11.  Development
press releases
about the campaign.
 Request
as many opportunities
as possible to tell the
organizational story
(Rotary, Kiwanis, Chambers, chur
ches, radio interviews, etc)
John Roland, @jaroland74
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12.  Confirm
sponsors, location, food, activi
ties of Kickoff party
 Meet
with the Steering
Committee
◦ Report the status of Kickoff events, volunteers, &
structure in place.
◦ Ask for their donations & pledges to the
campaign.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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13.  Ask
staff to volunteer at
Kickoff Party.
 Hold
conference call with all
volunteer chairs
John Roland, @jaroland74
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14.  Meet
with Campaign Chair to
go over Kickoff Party details &
finalize campaign timeline.
 Start
campaign weekly email
report.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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15.  Kickoff
Party
◦ Programs printed
◦ PowerPoint ready
◦ Name Tags created
◦ Directional signs located
◦ Extra Pledge Cards
◦ Pens, Calculators & other office supplies
◦ All prospects and volunteers called as a
reminder
John Roland, @jaroland74
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16.  Kickoff
Party
◦ Final rehearsal
◦ Room set up
◦ Final run through for Audio/Visual
John Roland, @jaroland74
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17.  Kickoff
Party
◦ Pledges collected
◦ Results announced
◦ Volunteers excited and armed with names
John Roland, @jaroland74
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18.  Monthly
Report meeting
held.
 Leaders recognized
 Teams encouraged
 Chairs called weekly.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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19.  Monthly
Report meeting
held.
 Leaders recognized
 Teams encouraged
 Chairs called weekly.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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20.  Monthly
Report meeting
held.
 Leaders recognized
 Teams encouraged
 Chairs called weekly.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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21.  Monthly
Report meeting
held.
 Leaders recognized
 Teams encouraged
 Chairs called weekly.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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22.  Location
of Victory Party
confirmed.
 Staff recruited as
volunteers.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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23.  Monthly
Report meeting
held.
 Leaders recognized
 Teams encouraged
 Chairs called weekly.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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24.  Victory
Party organized
Programs printed
PowerPoint ready
Names tags created
Directional signs located
Extra pens, pledge cards, calculators, & office
supplies.
◦ Call all prospects and volunteers as a reminder.
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◦
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John Roland, @jaroland74
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25.  Victory
Party
◦ Leaders Recognized
◦ Teams Encouraged
◦ Marketing sends out press releases
◦ Hand written thank you notes sent
out to everyone involved.
John Roland, @jaroland74
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