Forest Through the Trees: An Exercise in Focus

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wackybadger/

Small nonprofits with zero or barely any staff members are faced with an extra challenge among the demands of mission-based work. The work of doing your work can feel all-consuming. It can become a challenge to see the forest through the trees. 

2013 will be here before we know it. How can you make sure your work is as focused as it can be while you navigate around the trees, into the forest?

As soon as you can, gather a small group among your board officers and key volunteers. Set aside 2 hours. If you can, invite recipients of your services to share their input. Find one volunteer scribe and one volunteer facilitator.  Ask for input on the following:

• What one thing do you think we can cite as our most important accomplishment of 2012?
• What one thing do you think could have or should have gone better in 2012?
• What would your donor(s) have to say if you asked them the same question? Go ahead, call and find out. 
• Explore your current and anticipated fundraising  and cultivation results for 2012:
• Total number of donors.
• Number of new donors, as well as donors retained from last year. 
• Format in which funds were raised.
• How effectively you're stayed in touch with those donors and communicated results.
• Would it work to conduct an additional  campaign over the year-end holidays, with how much extra giving takes place then?
• What one thing do you think we most need to add to our toolkit in 2013 to have an even better year? What kind of investment/funding will that one thing take?
• What adjustment(s) to the 2012 fundraising efforts need to take place to fund your toolkit improvement? 

This meeting should give you solid information to write a 2013 annual fundraising plan to navigate through the forest. May your year ahead be your organization's best yet!