This information is critical to the future relationship of your organization to its funding and holds many clues to understanding problems the group may he having raising funds from particular sources. The next component in organizing your fundraising is a calendar Since much of fundraising requires advance planning that you normally need to begin at least three months before your fiscal year even starts, develop a calendar that spans a 15-month time period. As you lay out your plan, keep the calendar nearby and fill in as many deadlines or dates for your fundraising activities as possible. You will add to the calendar and change it frequently throughout the year. The calendar will also help you decide whether new program activities can he added or must he deferred because they compete with each other or with other organizational activities You may want to set aside a copy of your original calendar and go.
Deadlines mean nothing unless they are accompanied by a work plan.
Your next step, therefore, is to take the deadlines calendar and create another calendar for all the activities listed. Keep in mind that in order to be effective planning tools, the calendars must be developed in conjunction with your overall program and fundraising plans, incorporating enough of your organization's activity to know what will affect or drive your fundraising. A significant part of the fundraising plan is an income projection. Because budget and program decisions will be based on the fundraising plan, extra caution must be taken not to overestimate the potential for funding from any source, whether a traditional one or an entirely new one. All funding sources should be organized in order of probability, according to a likelihood rating based on your most informed judgment.