Fundraising Tips: Follow-up

Supporters and participants need to be thanked.

Merchant contributors need to be debriefed on their results from participating. Records should be gathered, copied, and stored.

Communicate the results to everyone involved.

Informing everyone who took part in your most recent fundraising is of utmost importance. Nothing charges up your organization for the future better than a group celebration.

Give recognition to your volunteers.

Enjoy the sound of "We did it!"

Conduct a post-mortem analysis of the fundraiser just completed.

Gather information and record impressions while everything is still fresh. Make notes about supplier relationships, any process problems, and what aspects need fine-tuning for the next time around.

Gather those recommendations for future fundraisers.

Brainstorm with your team and write down all the possible ways to improve. Circulate a written evaluation form to gather multiple viewpoints for the permanent file.

Make plans while everyone is still excited from this success.

Strategize how to increase the number of volunteers. Plan to promote those who excelled this time around to positions with more authority.

Ask your merchant supporters what you could do better.

In the long run, it's important to help them even more. Now is a good time to ask them for increased participation during your next big drive.

Review all records for completeness.

Work up the statistical analysis covered in the section on Goal Setting (in my book Fundraising Success!). That will save time in the future when you want to set your benchmarks.

Post the results on your website.

Let everyone see how ell you did along with multiple pictures of your team in action. When describing your success, be a shameless namedropper. Everyone likes to be thanked publicly.

Most importantly, put the funds you've raised to good use.

Your fundraising follow-up is the foundation for your future success. Don't give this area short shrift. Pave the way for even better results next time.

Summary
Be grateful for the support your organization received from the community. Nurture every relationship.

Treat your team like a garden - work the soil to prepare it for next season. Do the activities now that will make your future efforts blossom.

Always remember to thank yourself. You took on a huge job, made it better, and improved things for your successor.

Congratulations on a job well done!

Related Pages

Planning A Fundraiser - How-to tips on planning a fundraiser - Getting the most out of any fundraising event plus tips on recruiting volunteers.

Merchant Plan - How to put together a successful merchant plan for long-term success.

Publicity Tips - Simple methods to get your fundraisers well publicized - Publicity is the key to successful events.

Common Mistakes - Simple mistakes many nonprofit groups make and how to avoid them.

Five Fundraising Tips - Five easy ways to double or triple your fund raising profits with no extra work.

101 Fund Raising Tips - Boost results with organization, the right incentives, and preparation.

Approach Your Fundraiser Like A Business - Why it makes sense to approach your fundraiser like a business - Tips on how to boost your fundraising results.

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Ideas For Fundraisers

Art Raffle
Auction
Bake Sale
Band
Baseball
Bingo
Bowling
Bracelets
Brick
Candle
Candy
Candy Bar
Capital Campaign
Car Donation
Car Raffle
Car Wash
Cash Calendar
Casino Night
Cell Phone
Chair-ity Event
Charity
Charity Poker
Cheerleading
Cheesecake Calendar
Chinese Auction
Christian
Christian Event Ideas
Christmas Carols
Christmas Trees
Church
Church Festival
Church Fund Raisers
College
Cookbook
Cookie Dough
Corporate Grants
Cow Chip
Credit Card
Dance
Dance Team
Discount Cards
Donation Request
Donor Recognition
Earth Friendly
Easy
eBay
Event Tips
Events
Events - Part 1
Events - Part 2
Events - Part 3
Flower Bulbs
Flowers
Food Sales
For The Cure
Free
Fruit
Fun
Fundraising Sample
Gift Wrap
Golf Ball Drop Raffle
Golf Fundraiser
Golf Tournament
Grant Requests
Halloween
Healthy
Hockey
Home & Garden
Holiday Carnival
Individual
Inkjet Recycling
Internet
Jamba Juice
Jingle Bell Run
Jingle Bell Walk
Karaoke
Kathryn Beich
Krispy Kreme
Lip Sync
Location
Lollipop
Magazine
Mardi Gras
Merchant Plan
Mini Golf Tournament
Non-Profit
Pancake Breakfast
Photography
Pink Flamingo
Pizza
Pizza Hut
Political
Popcorn
Product Ideas
Promo
Publicity
Raffle
Raffle Prizes
Raffle Tickets
Relay For Life
Relay For Life Events
Rubber Duck
Sales Tips
Sample Thank You
School
Scratch Card
Scrip
Silent Auction Tips
Soccer
Softball
Spaghetti Dinner
101 Tips
Top Five
Tried & True
Tupperware
Valentines Day
Whiskey Tasting
Wine Tasting
Worlds Finest
Youth Group
Youth Sports