Happy 2016! Like most people do at the start of the year, you’ve probably thought of a handful of your own New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you want to learn to cook Thai food, or maybe you want to train to run a marathon. No matter what it is, it’s always important to have achievable goals. 

But what about your fundraising efforts? Have you hatched a plan for 2016, or have you not even thought of it yet? Let’s propose making another resolution: to pump up your fundraising efforts and earn even more than you did last year! Here are a few pointers to help you do just that.

Take a 2015 Retrospective

As you look back on your fundraising efforts of the past year, what worked and what didn’t? Was there anything you feel could have been done differently? Was there anything that you forgot? Was there anything that maybe wasn’t necessary and could have been skipped? Take stock of all the things that worked; you’ll want to remember them in 2016 so you can do them again, only better!

Reach Out to Your Supporters

It’s always nice to feel appreciated, and your supporters certainly want to feel this way as well. Send them a thoughtful note thanking them for contributing to your charitable cause, and don’t forget to mention that you’ll be throwing more fundraisers this year and their support is always appreciated. If you can afford it, include a small and inexpensive gift as well. That is sure to make them remember you.

Make Resolutions for your Organization or Group

New Year’s resolutions don’t always have to apply to individuals. They can also apply to your fundraising organization as a whole. Call a meeting in mid January when everyone’s back from the holidays and settling into their normal work routines for a brainstorming session about what you can all do to make 2016 more prosperous than 2015. Here are a some examples of effective and attainable resolutions for your group:

• Stay active on social media channels with daily updates, and engage your followers. This could involve hiring someone to monitor your social media channels, or assigning it to someone already on staff.
• Reach out to more people and expand your reach using whatever means you have at your disposal. That could include social media, email, telephone, word of mouth, and whatever else you can do to reach people.
• Connect with your supporter more closely and keep them updated with your latest fundraising campaigns and what else you’re planning for the future. You might have to update your email list to make sure the addresses you have are accurate.

Those are just some examples, and your team could surely come up with a few of their own. 2016 has only just begun, so let’s get it stated on the right foot and take steps toward a better, more successful year for everyone.

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