A strong annual fundraising plan keeps nonprofits focused, boosts donor engagement, and builds long-term sustainability. Whether you’re a one-person development shop or part of a larger organization, effective planning and donor stewardship are key to growing your impact. This article explores how thoughtful planning, team collaboration, and strategic cultivation can help your fundraising program flourish, because even as winter begins, it’s the perfect time to prepare for growth.
When was the last time you and your board reviewed your fundraising plan, or created one from the ground up?
My husband and I moved this past summer, and after months of upheaval, we began tackling our new yard. A failed dye test (common in older Pittsburgh neighborhoods) meant our front lawn was torn up with a backhoe to replace sewer pipes, leaving behind an uneven expanse that needed time to settle before planting. The opportunity to start fresh with new garden beds was both exhilarating and daunting—a blank palette requiring time, money, physical effort, and patience with Mother Nature’s whims.
The hours I spent digging, planting, and mulching this fall reminded me how much gardening resembles nonprofit fundraising. Healthy, self-renewing gardens, and strong development programs, don’t just happen. Both require solid roots and consistent care before they flourish.
Design & Planning: Your Nonprofit Fundraising Plan
Great gardens and great fundraising programs both start with a solid plan. A strong annual fundraising plan should outline your strategic and financial goals, define strategies for each audience such as individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government, and specify approaches such as online giving, sustainers, direct mail, major gifts, grants, and events. It should also include cultivation and stewardship activities to keep donors engaged.
Create this plan with your board and executive leadership so goals are realistic and properly resourced. Many organizations fall into repeating the same activities each year, such as automatically planning the next gala out of habit. Instead, use this moment to refresh your plan based on your organization’s short- and long-term priorities, and envision what you want your “garden” to look like in a few years.
Many resources are available to help you develop a plan, including sample plans offered through the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). I’m a fan of distilling the detailed plan into a calendar showing major activities and responsibilities. The calendar format helps you balance your department’s workload between hectic and slow seasons (think winter garden) and allows stakeholders to see the big picture and their role in it.
The Growing Team: Your Fundraising Champions
Just as I assembled a team of family and friends to help plant our garden, fundraising success requires shared responsibility across your organization. Your board, executive director (ED), frontline staff, and volunteers all play vital roles. Including board leadership in planning facilitates honest discussions about fundraising expectations and what resources are needed (staffing, training, budget, and technology) to meet your goals. Setting expectations is essential in times of uncertainty, and personal involvement increases ownership and likelihood of success.
Three of my sisters traveled from out of state to help us plant. They brought perennials from their own beds, including peonies that originated from the Ohio farm where my mom grew up. I transplanted pots from my old home, and friends generously shared favorites from their yards. My mother-in-law, a master gardener, provided sage advice and sent me Gardening in Deer Country, essential reading when your yard is their stomping ground. I’ve created a text chain for my “Garden Gurus” to share pictures and advice. I recommend you cultivate your own network of fundraising specialists to provide ideas, encouragement, and a sounding board when you uncover thorny issues.
What to Plant: The Right Fundraising Strategies
Design your fundraising program for your reality (your mission, capacity, and donor base) not someone else’s dream garden. Who are the people and organizations closest to you and most passionate about your work? Can your board connect you with others who care about your mission?
Choose fundraising strategies that fit your mission and capacity, and pay attention to ROI. Events are often the costliest, while major and planned giving require patience but deliver far stronger returns, making them essential for long-term growth.
All organizations should prioritize individual giving, the single largest source of private philanthropy. According to Giving USA, in 2024 individuals contributed $392 billion to charities, representing 64% of all giving. When we include an additional 8% ($46 billion) from bequests, 74% of all giving stems from individuals. Make sure your donors find it simple and convenient to contribute.
I garden enthusiastically in spring and fall but wilt in summer heat, so I’ve learned to rely on native plants that withstand rain, drought, vacations, and even the neighborhood deer. My best successes, and lowest costs, come from transplanting perennials shared by friends, much like a board member introducing you to a new prospect. The peonies passed down through my family remind me of legacy donors who sustain an organization over time. Individual donors are like hardy perennials: they return year after year, care deeply about your mission, provide essential operating support, stay with you through all seasons, and are the most likely to make planned gifts.
Care and Feeding: Donor Stewardship Best Practices
Just as fertilizing, pruning, weeding, and propagation keep gardens healthy, donor identification, cultivation, and stewardship are essential for thriving fundraising programs. Instead of constantly replacing donors (which is exhausting, expensive, and defeating), focus on donor retention. Start with timely, personalized thank-you messages that acknowledge each donor’s specific impact. Online tools and AI can help you personalize experiences for donors of every generation and steward mid-level donors who care deeply about impact. Consider these practical steps:
- Thank within 2–3 days with a personalized message
- Share specific impact updates regularly
- Create non-solicitation touchpoints: calls, notes, tours, meetings
- Segment communications by donor interest and history
- Ask donors what matters most to them
If you want to retain donors and nurture a spectacular garden, you must thank contributors and communicate impact. As this Advancement Advisors blog post on donor stewardship reminds us: love your donors or lose them.
RELATED: Learn about AI for fundraisers.
Bountiful Harvest: Fundraising Success
I’ve planted extensively this fall and can’t wait to see what sprouts and thrives next spring. As you look forward to the year ahead, I encourage you to act: This month, block out a few hours to review and refresh your current fundraising activities or draft a plan for the coming year. Schedule planning sessions with your ED and board’s development committee to review the plan and a high-level calendar. Identify one or two new areas where you can strengthen cultivation and stewardship.
A thoughtful fundraising plan, supported by year-round donor engagement, lays the groundwork for sustainable nonprofit growth. Wishing you all the best as you plant your fundraising garden!
Need guidance or support? Contact us at Advancement Advisors to help your nonprofit grow and thrive.
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For more than 30 years, Pat Quinn Winter, CFRE, has helped nonprofit organizations meet their fundraising goals with clarity, strategy, and compassion. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong development programs empower missions to thrive. At Advancement Advisors, Pat partners with clients to design thoughtful, sustainable fundraising strategies—whether launching a major campaign or refining donor engagement systems.