Does a Development Plan
Lead to Fundraising Success?
That was the question we wanted to answer…
The Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy – a global research and professional training body led by Dr. Adrian Sargeant – launched Development Plans and Fundraising Performance, the first study of its kind to examine how fundraising planning is undertaken in the nonprofit sector and its impact on revenue raised.
This report presents new data from a study of 325 fundraisers globally, demonstrating the importance of fundraising planning and providing statistical evidence to show that strategic planning drives higher income growth, donor retention and fundraiser confidence.
While the large majority of organizations do have fundraising plans in place and recognize the need for strategic fundraising planning, the report identifies that many lack philanthropic culture and engagement from the board. Other findings include:
- Fewer than half (48%) of fundraisers believe philanthropy is embedded at the core of their nonprofit
- While 95% believe fundraising planning is immensely valuable, one in four (28%) organizations do not have formal planning documents in place
- Only two in five (40%) believe that colleagues outside of the fundraising team could clearly articulate the case for support
To find out all the components that contributed to fundraising success, read the full report as well as the accompanying guide, Development Planning Research—A User’s Guide that offers tips you can incorporate in your fundraising today.
