We all know the tradition – even if it’s because of Bill Murray. In early February of each year, we all gather to see what groundhog Punxsutawney Phil will predict. Six more weeks of winter, or an early spring? Some people swear by the prediction, but really, it’s hit or miss. The other groundhogs in the business can’t even get their forecasts straight among themselves, as we can see from 2012 alone:
When it comes to Punxsutawney Phil, sometimes he’s right, and sometimes he’s wrong. It’s a crapshoot. It’s fun, but it’s a crapshoot.
Sometimes nonprofits treat their fundraising outcomes like this – a guessing game. But unlike a rodent’s weather intuition, when it comes to nonprofits, the stakes are much higher.
You need good indicators to make your predictions. And in your fundraising, predictions amount to goals, because it’s your job to make that prediction come true. It’s no secret that the first step to achieving your goals is to set them in the first place.
Hopefully you’ve already got your goals in line this year, but it’s not too late to catch up. Here are six action items that you should complete ASAP (if you haven’t already) to keep your year on track.
1. Created a fundraising calendar for the year
2. Set a plan for one or two major online fundraising campaigns
3. Refresh your email newsletter design from last year
4. Thank all your donors from year-end giving
5. Set stretch fundraising goals based on last year’s performance
6. Begin to build a support base of potential fundraisers
And voila! You have a set of indicators, predictions, and goals that are waaaay more reliable than Punxsutawney Phil.
