An 8-Week Plan to Raise Immediate Emergency Funding

In today’s harsh reality, raising funds is more important than ever. Many organizations are struggling for survival in the wake of COVID-19 and the economic hardship it has created worldwide.

Raising Emergency Funds Matters to Your Nonprofit

How much you raise could mean the difference between closing the doors and keeping them open. Between keeping your staff and letting them go.

It could be the difference between life and death for your nonprofit… and people in your community.

That’s why it’s critical that you leverage the strongest fundraising strategies to raise the most money possible. That’s what capital campaigns have always done… pushed nonprofit leaders to raise more than they ever thought possible.

In normal times, capital campaigns raise millions of dollars over two or three years.  But you can apply capital campaign strategies to raise emergency funds — fast.

Speed Makes All the Difference for Emergency Funding

If you have developed relationships with donors over the years, you can approach them now for immediate help.

You just need to develop an effective plan and execute that plan.

Are you scared right now? Of course! Some days you’re probably downright terrified. But if you take the right action one day at a time, you can the money you need to get through these uncertain times.

What you do, doesn’t need to be perfect, but you do need to take clear, direct and immediate action if you want to raise the money your organization needs right now.

We’ve developed an 8-week fundraising plan to help you raise $100K or more. (And, if you “only” raise $80K, that’ll be pretty great too!)

8-Week Immediate Funding Plan for Nonprofits

You can download our 8-week $100K+ plan for free to use as a reference for completing your own mini-campaign.

This plan takes a lot of work, but it’s manageable as long as you’re disciplined.

Week 1: Mini-Campaign Planning

It’s time to make a plan. What do you need funding for? How much do you need? Who are your key supporters?

• Outline mini-campaign goals and objectives for your organization
• Conduct virtual meeting with ED to review goals and objectives
• Review your database and identify lead donors

Week 2: Develop Mini-Campaign Plan

Finalize your plan, set a goal, and plan the details as much as you can.

• Finalize campaign goal
• Create gift range chart
• Develop lead gift prospect list
• Draft communications plan
• Develop timeline

Week 3: Prepare Materials

This week you will prepare materials to share with your donors.

• Case for support (we suggest drafting a slide deck for sharing while on a video chat)
• Background statement
• Meeting report forms
• Complete pledge form

Week 4: Recruit Solicitors

Will you be soliciting all prospective donors or will others join you? Recruit and train key team members including the ED/CEO and board chair for key solicitations.

• Review campaign plan
• Edit slide deck
• Recruit solicitors
• Solicit the board and senior staff

Week 5: Conduct Virtual Meetings

It’s time to solicit! Schedule meetings with key donors.

• Virtual solicitation training
• Schedule meetings with prospective donors
• Strategize upcoming visits
• Meet virtually with top donors (be sensitive in relation to the pandemic)

Week 6: Virtual Campaign Kick Off

Continue to solicit lead donors. They are key to your success.

• Solicit remaining lead gift donors
• Announce progress toward goal
• Broad base email and mail appeal to close gap to goal

Week 7: Completion and Reporting

Begin wrapping up the campaign and go to your base for support to close the gap to your goal.

• Check in with pending lead gift donors
• Send second broad base email appeal
• Prepare campaign report

Week 8: Follow Up

Time to report back to those who contributed to thank them and report back.

• Report to lead donors
• Send special appreciation to lead donors
• Determine next steps
• Prepare report for board

Need Help Executing the Plan? We’re Here for You

We know — this is an awful lot to take on yourself. That’s why we’re offering a special program to guide you through the entire 8-week process.

Our $100K Mini-Campaign Boot Camp enables you to work remotely with one of our experienced campaign advisors.  You’ll be in a cohort of up to eight other organizations who are also raising emergency funding.

Your expert advisor will lead you through the process and the other people in your cohort will hold you accountable and give you support. You’ll get all the relevant documents, templates, and worksheets you’ll need, so you won’t have to start from scratch.

Overcoming COVID-19 Challenges

Your advisor will work with you to offer strategies that are specific to raising money during this crisis:

• Connecting with donors in an age of social distancing
• Striking the right tone when speaking with donors during this crisis
• Presenting a COVID-friendly case for support

We know that together, we can do this. You can do this!

To learn more about our guided $100K Mini-Campaign Program for emergency funding, click the link below:

$100,000+ Campaign Boot Camp »

And if you have any questions, please send us an email, give us a call, or post them below in the comments and we’ll be happy to help.