This document provides templates and worksheets to help nonprofits plan their fundraising strategies. It includes sections to take stock of organizational strengths like mission, accomplishments, and history. Prospective funding sources are assessed for likelihood of support, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government grants. A sample fundraising calendar outlines tasks, responsibilities, and projected income from January to June. The calendar estimates $32,500 in income, including $10,000 from a grant and $1,250 from membership fees. A second calendar projects $35,500 from July to December, totaling an estimated $68,000 for the year through individual donations, grants, events, and fees.

1. Introduction to Fundraising Planning: Taking Stock of Your Strengths
An Assets Inventory
Values, Vision, and Mission
1. What values do you hold that you associate with your organization?
2. How would the world be different on the day that you could say that your mission is accomplished?
3. What is the mission of your organization?
Accomplishments
4. What are your ongoing core projects or programs and what are the results or outcomes that you can
point to as a result of these efforts?
Projects/Programs Results/Outcomes
a.
b.
c.
d.
5. What are the core competencies (e.g., skills and abilities) that enable your organization to succeed in
these efforts--personal or organizational or both?
6. How do you endeavor to measure your effectiveness? (e.g., statistics; letters of appreciation,
testimonials, assessments by outside bodies, awards and honors, etc.)
7. Do you attract any media visibility? If yes, in which media outlets?
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2. Board and Staff History
8. What are some of the key qualifications and talents of your past and current board members and staff?
9. Have board or staff members received any recognition of their talents and contributions?
10. What percentage of your board members make financial contributions to your organization?
Organizational History
11. How long has your organization been in existence?
12. What distinguishes your past work from that of similar organizations? List the specific ways in which
your work differs from theirs.
13. What recognition has your organization as a whole received since its inception? (e.g., invitations to
speak at conferences, workshops, public rallies, and legislative hearings; certificates of commenda-
tion; quotations in scholarly or popular journals and magazines; letters of appreciation; etc.)
Funding History
14. Name the institutions that support your work.
a. Foundations:
b. Corporations and businesses:
c. Religious sources:
d. Associations of individuals:
e. Others (e.g., labor unions, federations, governmental agencies, etc):
15. How many individuals pay dues, make contributions, or do both to support your work?
What percentage renew their support each year?
16. How diversified is your financial base? For example, how many different sources extend support
to you? What percentage of your total income does each comprise?
Other:

3. Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Selecting Prospective Funding Partners
(This worksheet is designed to help you identify your strongest potential supporters. The best
strategy is to identify your entire array of partners before you pursue any single one on your
prospect list.)
Assessing Chances of Support
Sources Very Good Possible Unlikely Unknown
1. Individuals:
a. New Donors
b. Renewing Donors
c. Upgrading Donors
Fundraising Strategies:
i. Face-to-face solicitation
ii. Personal letter
iii. Telephone
iv. Direct mail
v. Internet (e.g. Web site,
electronic newsletter)
vi. Special Events
d. Other: Memberships
2. Foundations
a. Community foundations
b. Local grantmakers
c. National foundations
3. Business and Corporations
a. Neighborhood stores
b. Banks, utility companies,
department stores, etc.
c. Corporations with
headquarters or facilities
in your community
d. Large national
corporations
e. Multinational companies
© The Foundation Center

4. Assessing Chances of Support
Sources Very Good Possible Unlikely Unknown
4. Government (grants and contracts)
a. Local government units
b. State government units
c. Federal government units
5. Religious Institutions
a. Individual churches,
temples, and other faith
communities
b. Metropolitan and regional
religious/ecumenical bodies
d. Religious federated
organizations
e. National religious bodies
f. International structures
6. Federated Fundraising Organizations
a. United Way
b. Other community chests
c. Alternative funds
7. Associations of Individuals
a. Neighborhood/community-
based associations
b. City/State-wide associations
c. National associations
8. Labor Unions
a. Local/state-wide unions
b. National unions
Don’t forget potential EARNED INCOME sources
a. Products/Store
b. Web site
c. Facility rental
e. Fee for service
© The Foundation Center

5. Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Case Study: Youth for Community Action
Summary of Fundraising Strategy
Individual Supporters
a. 20 Large contributions @ $250.00/each
Institutional Supporters
a. Foundations
b. Corporations and businesses
c. Government
d. Other: In-Kind Contribution from Organization
7
Membership Program
a. 50 Memberships @ $50.00
Other Fundraising Support
a. 3 Special events @ $1,000.00
Earned Income
© The Foundation Center

6. Person To be $ Projection
Tasks & Activities responsible completed by Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Subtotals
Individual Fundraising
1. Large Donor Contributions all On-going $100.00 $100.00 $250.00 $250.00 $250.00 $250.00 $1,000.00
2.
3.
Institutional Fundraising
1. Grant 1 JFC 9/30 $10,000.00 $10,000.00
2. Grant 2 JFC 12/31 $10,000.00 $10,000.00
Introduction to Fundraising Planning
3. Corporations & businesses SHU On-going $1,750.00 $1,750.00
4. Government or School District JEJ 3/1
5. In-kind from Organization JEJ On-going $1,250.00 $1,250.00 $1,250.00 $1,250.00 $1,250.00 $1,250.00 $7,500.00
© The Foundation Center
6.
Membership Program
1. Membership Fees SHU 1/31 & 6/30 $750.00 $500.00 $1,250.00
Special Events
1. Special Event JEJ 6/16 $1,000.00 $1,000.00
Fundraising Calendar (January–June)
Earned Income
1. Fees for Camp
Subtotals: $11,250.00 $1,250.00 $2,250.00 $11,500.00 $3,250.00 $3,000.00 $32,500.00
Case Study: Youth for Community Action

7. In-kind from Organization
© The Foundation Center
Fundraising Calendar (July–December)
Earned Income
1. Fees for Camp 7/1 $5,000.00 $5,000.00
Subtotals: $10,500.00 $12,500.00 $4,000.00 $1,750.00 $3,500.00 $4,250.00 $35,500.00
Grand Total: $68,000.00