10 tips to start your year off for fundraising success

10 tips to start your year off for fundraising success

It’s the beginning of a new year which means it’s also a great time to prepare a successful fundraising approach. Our coaching team has pulled together the following list of items that we’ll be working through with our members over the next month and we thought they were too good not to share.

1.     Is your organisation funder-ready? 

Check out our previous blog topic here which includes a list of things that your organisation will need PRIOR to applying for any funding. Things like opening a bank account, registering your charity with Charities Services,  and writing your charter documents might sound straight-forward but there are other things to tick off the list as well to ensure that you’re ready to go and that there aren’t any hold-ups when you receive your first chunk of funding.

2.     Engage your board in the fundraising efforts of your organisation.

Every board member has a role to play when it comes to not only governance but also fundraising. Play up to your Board Member’s strengths as it is the best way to ensure engagement and participation in fundraising. We have not only developed skills and capability matrix templates for this purpose, but we can also help by facilitating a session with your board, just ask!

3.     Meet your local MP. With a change of government comes new opportunities.

Check out our recent blog topic here on how to engage with your local MP and let them know about your project.

4.     Write a high-level funding plan and deliver it to your Board.

If your board doesn’t know what your fundraising plans are for 2024, they can’t help you. By writing a high-level plan and delivering it to your board you will be ensuring that they can support you. A funding plan doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be achievable. Our team has developed templates and resources to help guide our members through this process.

5.     Add fundraising to your Board agenda

Ensure that fundraising is the first item on your meeting agenda. This is a simple thing to do but is so effective! If your board isn’t talking about your fundraising, then they won’t be able to support you. This is equally true if you sit on a board and fundraising isn’t on the agenda  – ask for it to be added so that you can input into the success of the organisation.

6.     Map out a fundraising implementation plan

Don’t just focus on Class 4 gaming and Trust applications. The distribution of funding by the Gaming Trusts is getting tighter and Lottery grants are down 47%. Now is a great time to explore corporate partnerships, philanthropy, and regular giving campaigns. Get in touch if you would like to learn how our Funding HQ coaches can help you map your fundraising approach for 2024 and beyond.

7.     Write your Compelling Case for Investment

It is important to be able to articulate your organisation’s story for potential funders. Consider the following:

• Is your ‘Why’ still accurate and can you easily explain what you do and why you do it?
• Can you demonstrate tangible outcomes from your work? 
• Have you been able to measure your impact successfully?

Having an up-to-date compelling case will ensure that you are efficient when it comes to your ‘asks’ in 2024. Get in touch if you would like to learn how our Funding HQ coaches can help you write your story.

8.     Research potential new funders

Many major New Zealand funders are working with constrained grants budgets in 2024, so clearly demonstrating alignment to a funder’s objectives is more important than ever. Now is the perfect time to research which funders align with your organisation and outcomes. Google searches, talking to other not-for-profits and similar organisations can be helpful so can accessing a database of funders in New Zealand. Funding HQ has a full and comprehensive database available as part of its membership package. This includes all philanthropic, central government, local government, gaming trust and community foundation funders available in New Zealand. Get in touch with our team to register your interest in this essential fundraising tool.

9.     Diversify your fundraising approach

Check out our blog topic here on the changes underway with how Lotteries will be distributing Arts funding in 2024 and beyond.  It’s a great reminder to ensure that you haven’t put all your eggs in one basket with just one or two funders. We are expecting more announcements once the new Government policies are in place and we will be sure to update our website and learning materials accordingly.

10. Engage with a fundraising expert

Fundraising can be lonely and daunting; it can also be exhausting. By engaging with a capability building platform like Funding HQ you care not only about building your organisation’s expertise, but you are adding in a team member to support your work. Having a Funding HQ coach work alongside you can make all the difference in helping to guide you in the right direction for fundraising success.

10. Sign up to Funding HQ’s February Bootcamp

If you’re not already a member of Funding HQ, this is the perfect opportunity to kick start your fundraising for 2024. 

This is a great opportunity to learn how to bring energy, enthusiasm and inspiration to your fundraising with our six-week online intensive Fundraising Bootcamp. Join our founder, fundraising expert Jenni Giblin, for a rigorous, fun and uplifting group coaching programme, designed to supercharge your fundraising skills and set you up for the year ahead. 

Places are limited for this small cohort group, so apply now, and get ready to smash your fundraising goals for 2024. Register here.