Do you sometimes feel like your job is an endless stream of ideas with no practical, real-world answers? It’s normal to feel that way. Working in fundraising is filled with rapid shifts and changes that only keep coming. The good news is that these shifts provide us with opportunities for new tools and techniques to help us raise more money. Working as a fundraising professional means you are always thinking of new ways to answer the needs of your organization, department, or team. However, it also means you’re constantly being challenged by new ideas and re-evaluating old ones. Fundraising toolkits are one of those ideas that can be very useful in certain situations while falling short in others. When considering whether or not a particular kit will be useful in your organization, it’s important to understand the pros and cons before diving in head first. Let’s take a look at some helpful advice on how to create a fundraising toolkit that works for you – without sacrificing effectiveness.
What is a fundraising toolkit?
A fundraising toolkit is a collection of tools and resources designed to help fundraisers achieve their goals. Fundraising toolkits usually include things like promotional materials, marketing strategies, sales scripts, and sample letters or emails. These can be useful for fundraisers to have on hand so they can be more efficient and productive when running a campaign.
Why create a fundraising toolkit?
Fundraisers use fundraising toolkits to share information, reduce anxiety, and increase confidence. With a fundraising toolkit in place, your team is more efficient and effective when they’re implementing their programs. They also don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time they start a new campaign. They can instead focus their attention on how best to apply the program for maximum benefit.
When to use a toolkit
A fundraising toolkit is most useful when you’re working with a proven program. Keep in mind that doesn’t mean your program has to be old, it simply has to be proven. With a proven program, you’ve already tested and analyzed the effectiveness of your approach. That means you understand how to implement it and why it works. You know what materials and resources are needed, and what outcome you’re hoping to achieve.
When NOT to use a toolkit
If you’re still in the pilot or testing phase of a program, it’s best to hold off on creating a full fundraising toolkit. If you’re still analyzing the effectiveness of your approach, it’s best to wait until after you’ve completed the data analysis of your pilot or testing. Instead, create a rolling list of the materials, strategies, or approaches you have used. This will help you keep track of what worked and what didn’t. It will also allow you to refer back to these items when you’re ready to implement the program again.
Key elements of your kit
Many elements go into a fundraising toolkit. The contents of your kit will depend on your organization and the type of campaigns you run. Here are a few examples of tools and materials that commonly make up a fundraising toolkit: A rolling list of successful approaches you’ve used in the past. This can include anything from fundraising events or programs to marketing or communications efforts. Successful communications you’ve conducted with donors or key stakeholders. This can include letters, emails, or other forms of communication that have proven to be successful. Analyzed donor data. This includes donor surveys, data from donor events, or responses to direct mail campaigns. This can also include information from other fundraising efforts, like online giving or corporate giving programs.
Conclusion
There are a lot of great reasons to create a fundraising toolkit. Among them are increased efficiency, higher confidence, and reduced anxiety. When you’re ready to create a fundraising toolkit for your organization, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you want to make sure your toolkit is relevant to your needs and situation. You also want to make sure your toolkit isn’t too broad or general. That’s because you don’t want to overwhelm your team with too much information. Instead, you want to find the right balance of information that helps them be as effective as possible.
ALSO READ
