Fundraising is both an art and a science. And successful fundraising depends on creating a resource development plan, which itself is both an art and a science.
A resource development plan is a strategy designed to identify and secure resources needed to advance the mission and strategic goals of your organization. It’s your internal roadmap to raise funds. At Dogwood Philanthropy Group, we work with you to create that roadmap. The first step is to take stock of your assets and perform a resource development audit – a deep dive into your fund development effectiveness – and a communications audit, which is an examination of your online and offline communications programs.
We also review your case for support – the story you create that explains why you need to raise money – and we can help you strengthen it.
Based on our findings, we facilitate a planning session for your board members and staff. At the session – much like a strategic planning retreat – we examine organizational successes and challenges. We identify and evaluate potential fundraising opportunities and strategies appropriate for your organization.
The result of all that work is a resource development plan – a multi-year strategy, tailored for your organization, to guide you through the comprehensive process of raising money. The plan will give you clearly established goals and strategies for connecting with donors, as well as key performance indicators that will show your progress in raising the money you need to advance your mission. We guide and support you through the entire process of resource development planning. Once you start putting your plan into effect and raising money, we will check in with you periodically to see how you are doing, and to provide additional support if you need us.
We help you succeed by preparing you to practice both the art and science of fundraising.