Fillable Printable Development Plan Template

Development Plan Template

ORGANIZATION Development Plan, DATES (no more than 3 years recommended)

Date Created

Prepared by [CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER]

Purpose of this document

With the participation of the CEO and Board, the following plan serves as a guide for

development initiatives through END DATE. It is intended that this will be assessed,

revised and updated on an annual basis. This plan supports the efforts of the

ORGANIZATION strategic plan, and as changes are made to the strategic plan, this

document will be updated to reflect that.

Brief History

Insert a very short history of your organization including founders, year founded,

budget growth, program accomplishments, etc. The purpose of including the history

is to give people a sense of story. This is also something you can include in your case

materials.

Mission

Insert your mission here.

Vision

Insert vision here. Some organizations replace this with a values statement.

Unique Value Proposition

What makes you different from every other organization? Get to the root of it and

insert that here.

Strategic Priorities

List in bulleted or numbered format major priorities for the organization even if they

are not things that you can specifically raise money for. Typically these come directly

from the strategic plan.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Development Program (OPTIONAL)

Definition of a development program: the development program involves raising

funds, developing relationships and connecting people with causes they are

passionate about. Roles within a development program include connectors, who tie

together people and causes; experts, who speak knowledgably and passionately about

the mission of an organization; and closers, who ask for support.

Mission: the ORGANIZATION development program supports the strategic priorities

of ORGANIZATION by securing funding from diverse sources and building positive

relationships throughout the community.

(OPTIONAL) Philosophy: Insert a guiding philosophy here. A sample: the

development program is the responsibility of all, including all staff, volunteers, board

and committees, but is respectful of the quality of life of those participating and

conscious of preventing burnout.

Environmental Conditions

What’s going on in the community, your organization, the world that might impact

your organization? These are usually things you can’t really control.

Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats (SWOT) analysis

Strengths (INTERNAL TO ORGANIZATION, factors of organization)

Weaknesses (INTERNAL)

Opportunities (EXTERNAL TO ORGANIZATION)

Threats (EXTERNAL)

Development Priorities

Insert your department or program priorities. Some sample ones are:

Implement best practices

Efficient and effective involvement of volunteers

Appropriate tools and resources

Long term and stable funding strategy

Perpetual: Endowment

Diversified: includes major giving, planned giving, reliable annual giving

Expanded: upgrade current donors and acquire new ones

Uniform and clear marketing message

Redesign of brochures

Top of mind presence in community

Key constituents

Who are your major audiences? Samples are:

Board

Area businesses

Individual supporters

Volunteers

Clients

Staff

Government

Providers

Service clubs

Development Audit

All programs need to be examined on a regular basis to evaluate effectiveness (are we

still raising money?), efficiency (is our cost per dollar raised still where it should

be?), and energy (are we burned out on this?).

Financial Results

You may want to insert a chart here.

Analysis

What do the numbers mean? Which are your most effective programs? Which need

work? Which should be retired?

Development Tactics

Annual giving

Events

Direct mail

Major gifts and planned giving

Corporate Giving

Non-traditional revenue

Foundation/Grants

In-kind contributions

Timeline

Short-term (12 months, month by month tasks)

Mid-term (next year)

Long-term (year after that)

Financial Projections

Insert your budget projections for the first year here.

Additional Resources Needed

Insert additional staff, budget, etc. that may be needed to implement your plan.