You are barreling toward fiscal year end, sending appeals, maybe participating in a giving day. The goal? Maximize income so your nonprofit can change and save more lives.
After the dust settles what steps do you take to measure success? Do you consider not just the previous fiscal year, but fundraising success as part of a continuum, with each year building on the last?
Why consider success on a continuum? Any given year can present a blip on the radar, maybe a major campaign has ended or a significant estate gift was realized. Maybe you tried a new appeal approach or participate in a giving day for the first time.
How do you measure fundraising success on a continuum?
With a Development Audit, looking over multiple years of data. A Development Audit will reveal trends and patterns that might not be noticeable when looking year-over-year.
For example, one NPO with which I worked reviewed five years of data. One result? The sobering realization that the NPO was losing donors at a faster pace than it was adding them. While the donor population was somewhat older, we were also able to pinpoint other possible reasons for donors lapsing. With this knowledge the NPO was better equipped to contact those donors to try to re-engage them.
The findings also led the NPO to consider the need to attract new donors and keep them engaged. The NPO is currently seeking a sponsor who they hope will support a special event designed to engage young-professionals.
Would you like to learn more about Development Audits? Please contact me at: https://i5fundraising.com/contact/
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