One of the best practices in accounting for not for profit organisations is to create a well-designed fundraising plan. This can help an organisation build and sustain long-term relationships with donors, diversify its funding sources, and achieve its mission and objectives. The 12 steps below outline how to develop the different sections of a fundraising plan.

1. Executive Summary: Start with a brief summary of the fundraising plan and its main objectives. This maybe the only part of the plan that donors or potential funders may read so it needs to encapsulate the key points for the fundraising objectives.
2. Mission and Goals: Share the organisation’s mission and specific fundraising goals, including the amount of money that needs to be raised and the timeframe for achieving these goals.
3. Fundraising Strategies: Provide a list of fundraising strategies that will be used to achieve the fundraising goals. These strategies may include individual donations, corporate sponsorships, events, and grant applications.
4. Fundraising Tactics: Create a detailed description of the specific tactics (these are things that the organisation plans to do to raise money, such as events and grant applications) used to implement the fundraising strategies, including the timeline for each tactic and the resources that will be required.
5. Donor Identification and Research: Offer a description of how the organisation will identify potential donors, including individual donors, corporations, foundations, and government agencies. This should also include a plan for conducting research on donors to identify their interests and giving patterns.
6. Donor Cultivation and Stewardship: Lay out how the organisation plans to build relationships with donors, including a description of engagement with donors. Remember to recognise their contributions, and report back to them on the impact of their gifts.
7. Board and Volunteer Involvement: Outline how the board of directors and volunteers will be involved in fundraising efforts, including their roles and responsibilities.
8. Communications and Marketing: Step out how the organisation will communicate its mission, goals, and fundraising efforts to the public, including the development of marketing materials, social media, and other communications channels.
9. Budget and Resource Allocation: Supply a description of the budget required to implement the fundraising plan, including staffing, technology, materials, and other resources.
10. Evaluation and Measurement: Put measures in place to be able to track the success of the fundraising plan, including metrics for measuring the effectiveness of different fundraising strategies and tactics.
11. Timeline: Prepare a timeline for how the fundraising plan will roll out, including milestones and deadlines for achieving fundraising goals.
12. Contingency Plan: Step out what will happen if there are unforeseen circumstances that may impact the success of the fundraising plan, such as changes in the economy, natural disasters, or unexpected fundraising expenses.

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