ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT

SYSTEMSCULTUREPEOPLE

SYSTEMS ◻ Systematic

and repeatable approach to fundraising that addresses a variety of markets and takes into account short- and long-term RO

◻ Year-round donor stewardship occurs within the framework of the development cycle

◻ More strategic approach to special events directed toward achieving institutional priorities

◻ Communications reflective of donor-centered priorities

◻ More effective communications between board members, executive and development staff

◻ Organization is self-reflective and evaluates its own governance and fundraising

◻ Systematic and repeatable approach to fundraising that addresses a variety of markets and takes into account short- and long-term RO

▶ Diverse forms of asking are planned including asking for resources other than money

▶ Diverse forms of asking have messages customized to a variety of markets ▶ Groups plan development-related activities that will affect the

long-term financial horizon ▶ An annual organizational fundraising plan with clear and concise

goals that relates to past history and future growth guides the organization's development efforts

▶ The organization nurtures a donor/honoree pipeline ▶ Development activities are evaluated and documented so

they can be repeated and built upon in years to come ▶ Organizations regularly assess their potential donor markets

and build bridges to new ones ▶ Fundraising objectives are aligned with strategic plans and

organizational budgets

MILESTONES

◻ Year-round donor stewardship occurs within the framework of the development cycle

▶ A calendar is created that shows cultivation events and opportunities ▶ Organization is asking more often and/or in different ways ▶ A targeted list of prospects/donors get personal communications

on a regular basis ▶ All the occasions where people intersect with the organization

are entryways to involvement through which contact information is gathered and analyzed

▶ Strategic relationships exist between fundraising, communications and program calendars

▶ The board development committee looks at a range of programmatic activities with a development cycle lens

▶ Donors are recognized on a regular basis ▶ Donor retention is tracked and carried out through specific

planned strategies

MILESTONES

◻ More strategic approach to special events directed toward achieving institutional priorities

▶ Event plan includes objectives that connect to broad organizational goals

▶ Events are planned with a pre, during and post-event lens to maximize the gain realized from the event

▶ Membership on the event team is a springboard to ongoing organizational involvement

▶ Events are produced within the context of the organization's year-round relationship-building

▶ Every event features key organizational messages and brand ▶ Events are routinely evaluated for their effectiveness at the

leadership level and modified accordingly

MILESTONES

◻ Communications reflective of donor-centered priorities

▶ Routine donor communications issued that focus on donor-centric interests

▶ Content reminds donors of what they make possible ▶ Credit for program successes is shared with donors ▶ Donors' voices are heard in communications ▶ Donors respond to newsletters and social media

MILESTONES

◻ More effective communications between board members, executive and development staff

▶ Constituencies keep each other informed as they collaborate on projects ▶ Systems are used to encourage peer accountability ▶ People are recognized for their efforts ▶ Development plans are formulated and monitored collaboratively ▶ Regular check-ins take place between all parties ▶ Clear responsibilities are established within the context of each role▶ People step forward proactively to support one another in fulfilling

their responsibilities

MILESTONES

◻ Organization is self-reflective and evaluates its own governance and fundraising

▶ Organization develops internal goals and benchmarks for governance and fundraising

▶ Organization evaluates its governance and fundraising practices against industry standards

▶ Organization compares annual performance year to year to analyze trends and create more accurate forecasts

▶ Organization plans proactively to refresh its fundraising and governing base

▶ Board regularly engages in a self-evaluation process ▶ Board members understand clear connection between mission,

budget, and fundraising performance ▶ Board and staff members regularly engage in individual reflection

on their performance

MILESTONES

CULTURE ◻ Board acts

as steward of the mission and operates at a strategic level of deliberation

◻ Deeper culture of philanthropy—entire organization engaged in fundraising/ friendraising

◻ Board members feel satisfied and productive

◻ Culture of mutual accountability and follow-through

◻ Groups recognize and exploit development opportunities within everyday/ unplanned interactions

◻ Donors/ supporters engaged beyond moments of asking

◻ Board acts as steward of the mission and operates at a strategic level of deliberation

▶ Board develops a formal process to connect programs, budgeting and fundraising to desired outcomes

▶ Board uses mission as a yardstick when making significant decisions on program, finance and partnerships

▶ Board examines organizational trends in relation to external environment ▶ Board assesses the impact of organizational trends over time

on future performance ▶ Board benchmarks performance against peer organizations ▶ Board take steps to ensure that members have an adequate

understanding of the organization and the environmental context within which it operates

▶ Board provides oversight by asking questions on matters critical to organizational effectiveness and sustainability

▶ Adequate time in board meetings is devoted to the highest priority topics

MILESTONES

◻ Deeper culture of philanthropy—entire organization engaged in fundraising/ friendraising

▶ Development staff are respected and supported by all people within the organization

▶ Stakeholders outside of development staff participate in fundraising planning and implementation

▶ Program staff act as ambassadors and identify potential supporters ▶ All stakeholders act as ambassadors and are able to connect

organization's aspirations to potential supporters▶ Staff members understand the connection between development

activities, their work and the organization's health▶ Fundraising is regularly on the agenda at staff meetings ▶ Donors are treated as important stakeholders ▶ Program participants participate in fundraising and friendraising

MILESTONES

◻ Board members feel satisfied and productive

▶ Board members take active leadership roles ▶ Board members look forward to meetings ▶ Board meeting attendance increases over time ▶ Board members recruit people in their networks

to be involved ▶ The board is socially bonded ▶ Board members seek renewals of their terms ▶ Board members take on additional assignments

MILESTONES

◻ Culture of mutual accountability and follow-through

▶ Staff and board report back at scheduled intervals about progress of assignments and requests

▶ Board establishes goals for its own performance including fundraising ▶ Board regularly assesses its performance as a team and as individuals ▶ Board meetings include specific assignments and mechanisms

to assure follow-up ▶ Board members are the voice of accountability to their peers ▶ Board committee chairs take responsibility for their committees'

performance ▶ People do what they say they're going to do or hand over the work

in a timely fashion ▶ The culture is defined by appreciation, recognition and thanking

of donors and volunteers

MILESTONES

◻ Groups recognize and exploit development opportunities within everyday/ unplanned interactions

▶ New prospects are discovered and discussed often ▶ Ambassadors regularly publicize the organization's various needs

at public gatherings ▶ The group develops an explicit wish list that clarifies in kind

and pro bono as well as financial needs ▶ Groups offer opportunities for involvement to a wide variety

of people with whom the organization comes in contact▶ Volunteers are given organizational context for their work and

encouraged to become ambassadors and donors▶ Groups draw people from all walks of life into their development efforts ▶ Program activities offer hooks for support of the organization's

broader mission

MILESTONES

◻ Donors/ supporters engaged beyond moments of asking

▶ Donors participate in organizational activities unrelated to direct solicitation ▶ Regular communications occur that recognize and celebrate

donors for their role in advancing the mission ▶ Donors are asked their opinions about the organization and the

issues it addresses ▶ Donors have a role to play in the organization's programs

(as spokespeople, volunteers, speakers, etc.) ▶ Donors reach out to peers to engage them in the organization ▶ Donors are engaged in substantive discussions around

mission-related topics ▶ Donors participate in social media outreach ▶ Donors are treated as a party to organizational achievements ▶ Donors serve as advisors in areas of expertise

MILESTONES

PEOPLE

◻ Greater shared responsibility for organization's financial viability among all staff and board

◻ Increased number, skill level and reach of ambassadors

◻ More fundraising outreach including board members serving as effective and confident askers

◻ Clear roles/ responsibilities/ accountability/ partnership between the Executive Director, Board and Development Staff

◻ Betterfunctioning governance team (board and senior staff) including differentiated board roles and leadership structure/ladder for each major area of board responsibility

◻ A strategic process and pipeline for board recruitment

◻ Greater shared responsibility for organization's financial viability among all staff and board

▶ Transparent financial reports are supplied to board in a timely manner

▶ Board asks the important financial stewardship questions (monitoring & strategic)

▶ Organization projects long-term financial trends▶ Board creates a finance committee▶ Board forms a development committee ▶ Development Committee sets agenda/builds board

consensus on board's fundraising engagement ▶ Development is a topic at staff meetings and

development staff attend board meetings

MILESTONES

◻ Increased number, skill level and reach of ambassadors

▶ More people have been mobilized to reach out on the organization's behalf

▶ Organization provides training/tools to increase people's proficiency at being an ambassador (fundraising & friendraising)

▶ Board members host and/or invite people to cultivation events

▶ Board members engage new people and new markets

▶ Non-board members serve as ambassadors (donors, volunteers, clients, friends)

▶ Board members proactively reach out to represent the agency and to draw people in

MILESTONES

◻ More fundraising outreach including board members serving as effective and confident askers

▶ Board members invite friends to events ▶ Board members ask for gifts ▶ Board members have personal fundraising plans ▶ Staff identifies donor prospects and participates

in cultivation ▶ Other people besides board & staff are engaged

in the development cycle

MILESTONES

◻ Clear roles/ responsibilities/ accountability/ partnership between the Executive Director, Board and Development Staff

▶ Action plans specify distinct yet collaborative responsibilities for Board/Executive Director/Staff

▶ Board/Executive Director/Staff work together to set organizational goals including fundraising/ finance goals

▶ Board/Executive Director/Staff check in with each other regularly

▶ Board/Executive Director/Staff work together to set committee and meeting agendas

▶ Board participates in team-building/social bonding ▶ Organization provides training and development

opportunities for board and staff

MILESTONES

◻ Betterfunctioning governance team (board and senior staff) including differentiated board roles and leadership structure/ladder for each major area of board responsibility

▶ Board develops committees which feed recommendations to entire board as appropriate

▶ Clear leadership and membership is established for each committee

▶ Committees have clear scopes and annual workplans ▶ Committee and staff leadership work together to develop

committee scope, timeline, and action plan ▶ Committees meet regularly so as to effectively meet their charge ▶ Committees have staff support to allow for the highest

and best use of board members ▶ Clear communication and coordination occurs between

board leaders (through an executive committee or otherwise) ▶ Emerging board leadership is regularly assessed and nurtured

MILESTONES

◻ A strategic process and pipeline for board recruitment

▶ Board recruitment team analyzes gaps and develops a recruitment plan to strategically fill those gaps

▶ The board uses a written board member recruitment profile ▶ Prospect screening process results in clear agreement with

candidates on board expectations prior to nomination▶ Prospect cultivation proceeds systematically and includes

mission-related site visits as well as meetings with both board and staff

▶ Formal onboarding includes program exposure, board manual, buddy system and social linkage

▶ A board member is designated to oversee board recruitment ▶ Board engages in systematic prospect identification including

accessing a wide network for ideas

MILESTONES