“So, how much money are you going to raise this year, Doug?”

It was only my first week as a fundraiser. My boss had his pen at the ready, eyes on me eagerly awaiting my answer to his very unexpected question.

I sat back in my chair and stammered, “I have no idea. I just got here!” “No, I mean it,” he said. “How much are you going to raise this year? I have to put a number in the budget Doug, c’mon, guess!”

“I’m not guessing,” I said strenuously.

“Why not? That’s what everyone else here does.”

Perhaps this is why, when I began Douglas Shaw & Associates 14 years later, I began saying to our staff, “You don’t have to guess.”

Developing accurate plans for raising money requires a lot of review, thinking, and collaboration. In this issue of Donor Focus, you’ll see some great insights about creating your plans for the future from some of our best minds. We hope this serves you well.