How to Build a Fundraising Strategy that Actually Works

There are a million fundraising books and webinars out there… and yet so many nonprofits still feel like they’re winging it. Not because they don’t care. Not because they aren’t capable. But because most fundraising “plans” are either: pie-in-the-sky strategy (no practical steps), or panic-driven task lists (no big picture).

What does work? A strategy that tells you exactly where you're going and what you're doing this week to get there. I always say: the best fundraising plans are the ones you can actually follow on a Tuesday morning with coffee in hand…not just admire in a retreat binder.

Here’s how I build fundraising strategy with organizations:

First, identify your revenue streams — individual donors, monthly donors, major donors, corporate partners, foundations, events, etc. Nothing too fancy; just be honest about where your funding comes from (or where you want it to come from).

Then, (and this is where most plans fall apart) translate those streams into weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms of communication, cultivation, and relationship-building. Not vague goals like “grow individual donor revenue,” but clear routines. For example, for Individual Donors, it may look like:

Weekly:

1. Pull donation reports for the last week

2. Send hand written thank you letters to donors who gave $250 or more, to any new monthly donors, or any new (first time) donors.

3. Add new major donors ($250+) and monthly donors to the relevant spreadsheets (to keep a live spreadsheet of your major and monthly donors)

4. Send thank you emails to anyone else under $250.

5. Reach out to five (5) prospective donors and ask for a phone call or coffee to share more about your organization.

Monthly:

1. Reach out to 3-5 major donors to schedule a phone call or in-person coffee or lunch to cultivate the relationship.

2. Send an email blast specifically to your monthly donors about an impact story their monthly donation supports

Quarterly:

1. Send a newsletter to all donors, including several impact stories, and a call to action to give, join monthly giving, increase giving, etc.

Annually:

1. Create an End-Of-Year (EOY) fundraising campaign with a financial goal in mind. Include at least 10 touchpoints (email, phone calls, text, social media, snail mail, in-person event, etc.) throughout November and December.

2. Put a thermometer on your website to show how much has been donated so far. Keep donors up to date each email to motivate giving.

3. Send a huge end of year thank-you to all your donors!

This is just a quick example of how you can create a tangible fundraising strategy to cultivate your individual donors.

Remember, a real plan is not “raise $500k.”

A real plan sounds like: Here’s exactly how we nurture donors, build relationships, and stay in motion all year long.

And yes, strategy matters too! This isn’t just a checklist. Good fundraising planning means aligning your development plan with your strategic plan. Your dollars follow your direction. When your strategy, messaging, cultivation, and activities all point toward the same vision, fundraising stops feeling like chasing money and starts feeling like building a community around your mission.

At the end of the day, fundraising is consistent relationship-building tied to a clear, actionable plan. When you break it down, schedule it, and follow a rhythm, you replace panic with predictability and you free up energy for what really matters: serving your mission well!

If you want support building this out for your organization in real life, let’s jump on a call to do it together.

Because fundraising shouldn’t feel like frantic inbox-scrolling or late-night grant-sprinting. It should feel intentional, steady, and aligned.