A good annual plan is a very detailed roadmap that can get you where you need to go, but there might be detours along the way!

While your annual plan is your organization’s guide for fundraising and donor communications for the year, it is not created in isolation. Rather, it’s part of a longer strategy, the vision for your organization.

Do you want to grow? Will you need more operating dollars? Do you need more donors to accomplish this?

Developing your vision and funding strategy is essential to your plan for donor growth, communication and testing strategies, and developing the initiatives that will put you on the trajectory to realizing your five- and 10-year goals and beyond.

Working collaboratively is key to checking your decisions and pushing your creative thinking. But effective collaboration requires you to invite the input of your colleagues from operations, administration, finance, and especially, the executive office.

Throughout the year, consult your annual plan often. It’s your roadmap, as well as your measuring stick.

What opportunities or goals are you looking to reach this year? In five years? In 10 years? To get where you want to go, you must have these goals firmly in mind.