Donor Participation Project’s Post

How to Create an Effective Annual Calendar for Your Donors An annual communications calendar is essential for engaging your donors and sustaining their support. To create an effective calendar, start with a blank slate and gather your team. Identify your “must haves,” like an end-of-year campaign, as well as ongoing and engagement communications. Get input from volunteers and leadership, then establish rules of engagement to streamline the planning process. - Must haves are non-negotiable events tied to your fiscal calendar. Map these first, then add ongoing communications like gift anniversaries and thank yous. Next, schedule donor surveys, town halls, and check-ins to drive engagement. Balance the workload across months and teams. - Share your draft calendar with volunteers and donors. Explain each item and get their feedback. Donors will feel valued, and you’ll build trust for when you ask them to give. Meet with leadership, answer their questions, and clarify the rules of engagement. For example, specify that after calendar approval, each campaign becomes a project brief with assigned leaders who can make decisions. Suggestions require stating how they support goals. Other ideas go into a file for future campaigns. - With approvals, turn campaigns into project briefs detailing objectives, audiences, strategies and responsibilities. Track action items in a project management system. Appoint leaders to oversee each campaign. Briefs drive work, and changes must link to goals. Post-campaign, review with staff for next year’s planning. An effective calendar boosts trust and giving. Engage donors and volunteers, get leadership support, then empower project leaders. Solicit feedback openly but require constructive suggestions. By balancing continuity, innovation and workload, your calendar will help revenue flow sustainably all year round. Planning ahead and documenting thoroughly will transform reactive “fire drills” into proactive, purposeful campaigns. An annual calendar is a roadmap to fundraising success.

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