International Fundraising:Creating an effective action plan

1. Identify your target fundraising locations – The first step in creating an effective international fundraising action plan is to identify the regions you want to target. The most obvious choice is countries with a significant concentration of stakeholders or constituents. But it's also important to identify other countries where your organisation has supporters or where your mission resonates.

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2. Determine your international donor constituencies – Identifying potential donors is critical to international fundraising success. They may be school alumni, patrons or visitors to an institution, or those who have demonstrated an interest in a particular cause. Research donor behaviour in their countries, and identify the best ways to engage them. You can use data analytics to determine specific donor preferences and create targeted engagement opportunities for maximum impact.

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3. Choose your fundraising methods – After identifying your donor constituencies, choose fundraising methods that match their profiles. These methods can include events, major gifts, crowdfunding, specific appeals, or annual appeals. Focus on the methods that are appropriate and have the best potential for success in your chosen regions.

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4. Decide who will handle cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation – Depending on the size of your organisation and the countries, you can either have your existing team handle these tasks or find in-country support for this work. Cultivation and stewardship are critical for your international donors, as developing and tending to those relationships even when you are not physically present is essential for fostering a sense of connection and appreciation.

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5. Determine the budget needed – International fundraising can be costly, so you need to identify the budget required. Decide whether the budget will be part of your existing budget or separate. Additionally, a strategic and cost-effective approach is to begin with strategies that have the highest potential ROI and building from there rather than trying everything, everywhere, all at once.

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6. Define Success – When creating an effective international fundraising action plan, you need to set your goals for the region or your international programme as a whole. This may be number of new donors, response rates or monetary amounts. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and track them to ensure maximum return on investment.

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7. Evaluate the impact international fundraising could have – Consider the impact international fundraising could have on your organisation and stakeholders. Evaluate its potential impact on your organisation's reputation, mission, and financial performance.

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International fundraising can be a game-changer for your organisation's growth and success. But success depends on creating an effective action plan that matches your organisation's goals and capabilities. Once you've identified your best potential international regions, determined your donor constituencies, and chosen your fundraising methods, set your goals and then analyse the results regularly. With a sound international fundraising action plan, you'll be well on your way to success.

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