A few months ago I was asked to present on the topic of taking an established fundraising program that’s good (you know, it’s working) to GREAT. Exploring this topic for the Digital Leap conference got me thinking: what should nonprofits and charitable organizations be doing to take their fundraising to the next level? As I began to frame the topic in my mind, I started to list out the things any organization can do to take their fundraising to the next level. I already know what you’re thinking, not another list!

But this list is different, I promise. This list is short and distills down to four primary things your organization can start doing today. It begins with a simple question: where does change really start? I found a number of answers in Jim Collins’ book Good to Great. Yes, it’s a business book, but the concepts really apply to any organization whether you are a school or a nonprofit. “Dramatic results do not come from dramatic process—not if you want them to last, anyway,” says Jim Collins.

I realized a long time ago that long term, lasting success does not happen unless your organization is willing and ready to change its culture. If you want to create fundamental change, then you need to look at the way you run your organization today.

While tactics are important, that’s not where the magic happens when you’re going from good to great. If you want to increase revenue, grow your supporters, retain donors and see better online engagement. The change starts with you.

This is the secret that is missing from all the fundraising lists out there. You must first shift your organization’s priorities and change its culture, and then success will follow.

With that in mind, let’s begin.

1. Analyze your results

Like a GPS, you need to know where you’re starting to determine where you’re going next.

Take a look at the past two to three years of online results. Everything from your dollars raised and campaigns run, to email open rates and growth on social media. Once you know the hard numbers conduct a SWOT analysis.

Then, have a meeting with everyone involved. This is the time to break down silos; invite all stakeholders from the CEO and board to the staff who manage your social media and online presence. If people feel like they have a stake in the program’s success, they’re more likely to put in the work. In this meeting you should discuss the hard facts and the results from the analysis.

Let the analysis be the driving force of your change.

2. Make a stop-doing list

After 13 years working in nonprofits I can say this with confidence: sometimes we get in our own way.

There are things we are doing that just need to stop—that 10-year-old event that is barely making money, the annual report that takes months to create but no one reads—just stop. The same holds true online. For example, social media is important, but only if you have the time to commit to doing it right. If your organization is on eight social media sites but only investing and seeing growth on three, then get off the other five.

You can always go back, but for now focus on the tactics and strategies that are important to the plan and have potential to grow.

3. Invest in people

Happy employees are productive employees and investing in the team will help you find lasting success.

The investment is twofold—organizations need to invest in staff training and professional development. Training focuses on today—what does the person need to do their job right now? Professional development focuses on tomorrow—a combination of training, mentoring, and enlightenment that harnesses the power of the person and what they will become.

Quite simply, as the sophistication of your online and development efforts grow, you need to invest in a team that will grow with it.

4. Be ready for a ‘hot damn’ moment.

Collins called these good luck moments. Whatever name you give it, it’s the opportunity that comes across your desk that you can leverage to raise awareness, funds, and interest in your mission. Once a decisive plan is put into place, stakeholders have buy-in, the organization is focused on the right activities and the team is on course, your organization can take advantage of these ‘hot damn’ moments whenever they strike.

What’s the next step in going from good to great online? Those are tactics like implementing a multi-message welcome series or creating a gratitude with attitude strategy. But before you get there the plan must come first.

To find that elusive long-term success, organizations need a plan based on concrete data and smart decisions implemented by talented people with vision.

For more information

You can be great by choice, not by chance. Want to learn more? Watch my webinar, 10 tips to take your Canadian fundraising from good to GREAT!

To help get you started, use the Blackbaud Index to see how you’re performing – the Canada Index is available to benchmark your online and general fundraising results.

When conducting your SWOT analysis, use the Next Generation of Canadian Giving report to identify threats and opportunities for better online communications and engagement.