This is a question-and-answer series related to community college fundraising. This is article two of the series.
Question: How do you goal set with your team? Can you provide a story or example?
Answer: During the college’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2014, a committee set a fundraising goal. The committee was comprised of foundation board members and college employees. The goal was set based on the type of activities that would be held and the types of sponsorships we believed we would secure. We used previous fundraising goals to make key decisions. The fundraising goal was exceeded, which we discussed frequently during foundation board meetings. This inspired and motivated foundation board members. Also, when we wrapped up the 50th anniversary celebration (and thus the fundraising campaign), the fundraising component was a significant part of our key messages. We discussed the significant impact of the college during the past 50 years and celebrated the philanthropic generosity of our donors and sponsors: www.hacc.edu/50.
Prior to the anniversary celebration, my team and I developed an annual fundraising plan. We used different formats. One year, the plan focused on how much we would raise from different stakeholders (major gift donors, alumni, students, employees, board members, etc.). Another year, the annual fundraising plan focused on how much we might raise for different projects (scholarships, equipment, professional development, etc.). Each annual fundraising plan included goals, strategies, tactics, a timeline and a budget.
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