A Fundraiser’s Guide to Planning a Successful Year Ahead

Every December, as the year draws to a close and holiday lights start twinkling around town, I get ready for one of my favorite rituals: mapping out the year ahead with a gingerbread latte in hand.

I’ve carried this practice with me through every fundraising role, from solo Executive Director to team leader to Sprout’s founder and consultant. 

December is a whirlwind for fundraisers, yes. The pressure is real, and the stakes feel high. But it’s also one of the most powerful times to pause, take stock of everything you’ve learned this year, and step into next year with intention rather than urgency.

Keep reading to prepare for a successful year ahead with a clear, strategic foundation.

This blog will help you:

• Know your donors and your data

• Refresh your message and your momentum

• Map out your campaigns

• Structure your stewardship

• Identify your highest-impact priorities

• Create a focused system

You’ll also learn about tools that make this easier, including the Fundraising Focus Digital Planner and SproutTable, the donor database Sprout built for small nonprofits.

So find a quiet moment, take a deep breath, and let’s build your foundation for next year.

Step 1: Start with the Data You Already Have

The most important part of planning is understanding what’s behind you. This enables you to identify patterns and opportunities, then make strategic choices. Data doesn’t need to be complicated to be powerful.

To do this, segment your donors by asking yourself:

• Who gave more than once this year?

• Who increased their giving compared to last year?

• Who gave for the first time?

• Who hasn’t been thanked meaningfully?

• Who hasn’t yet given this year and might need a final touch?

Each of these insights tells a story about where your relationships are strongest and where there’s untapped opportunity. For many small nonprofits, the obstacle isn’t a lack of donor loyalty, it’s that information is scattered across spreadsheets, emails, ticketing systems, and staff memory.

If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company.

That’s why I created SproutTable, a simple, low-cost donor database for small teams. If your complex CRM is wasting you time and money but you still need a way to track donors reliably, tag records, automate thank-yous, and build clean reports, SproutTable is for you. It’ll help you get organized fast if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your data.

No matter the system you use, your goal is to find clarity. Getting your donor data organized allows you to plan for how to engage them.

Step 2: Refresh Your Messaging

A new year is the perfect time to ensure your message still reflects who you are and what your community needs from you.

Consider these questions:

• Does your mission statement reflect the work you do today?

• Does your homepage quickly show your impact?

• Does your donation page tell a compelling, donor-centered story?

• Does your “why now” message still feel relevant?

These updates are small, but they matter. Donors make decisions quickly, often within seconds, and your message should support the momentum you want to create in January.

Step 3: Build Your Fundraising Calendar

Too many fundraisers build their calendar around tradition. Just because you’ve historically had your gala in April or sent your appeal in November doesn’t make it strategic. 

Maybe you should keep doing things this way, and maybe you shouldn’t. It depends on what your program needs.

So ask yourself: what does your program require next year, and when?

If you run a youth program, the rhythm might be clear (i.e., spring for summer camp scholarships, fall for school-year needs, and winter for year-end momentum). But if you’re in food security, your high-demand seasons may be different. The key is to start with the mission, not the month.

From there, you can layer in:

• Your signature events

• Your mini-campaigns

• Relevant awareness months

• Your monthly giving promotions

• Any new partnerships or initiatives

Your calendar becomes a tool for momentum, not a collection of dates.

Step 4: Map Out a Separate Stewardship Plan

Successful fundraising is built on relationships. It requires balancing your asks with gratitude. That’s why it’s important to map out your stewardship just as thoughtfully as your solicitations. 

Plan for:

• When you’ll send meaningful updates

• When you’ll spotlight donors or volunteers

• When handwritten notes make sense

• Which months lend themselves to gratitude

• How your board can participate in thank-you touches

These are nonnegotiables, not extras. They’re your retention strategy, and retention makes fundraising sustainable.

Step 5: Set Goals You Can Actually Reach 

A fundraising plan is only as strong as it is clear. Each month of the year should have a defined goal, whether it’s sponsorships, a campaign milestone, donor visits, new recurring donors, or corporate outreach.

When you give each month a purpose, you create a natural sense of direction. You can also look ahead and build the right amount of runway for campaigns, events, and stewardship.

This allows you to lead your year, not chase it.

Plan Your Year with the Fundraising Focus Planner for Nonprofits

I’ve created a digital planner that you can use with Goodnotes or any other notetaking app. You can even print it out if you prefer! It’ll help you seamlessly organize everything I’ve shared so far, not as a day planner, but as a fundraising action system. It empowers you to manage the work that drives revenue, donor relationships, and strategic clarity.

Monthly Planner Pages Help You Stay Strategic

Each month gives you space to plan:

• The donors you’ll reach out to

• The stewardship actions you’ll take

• The deadlines you must meet

• The campaign milestones you want to hit

It’ll make the difference between hoping you’ll remember something and actually having a plan.

Weekly Planner Pages Keep You Focused

Every week includes room for 6 priorities that matter most. Not 25 tasks or a page full of scattered ideas—just the core actions that drive fundraising forward.

This is especially helpful if you’re neurodivergent, highly visual, or someone who needs to write things down to stay grounded. The structure helps you build clarity into your year ahead.

New Edition Fundraising Focus Planner

The newest edition of the Fundraising Focus Planner includes new note templates with lined pages, checklists, and flexible planning layouts so you can adapt the system to your brain, your role, and your goals.

If you want a system to help you stay organized, strategic, and intentional all year long, this planner is your anchor.

Fractional Fundraising Consultant for Your Nonprofit

For more hands-on support, schedule a consultation call with our team. We help small nonprofits map out their annual fundraising plans, build strong donor journeys, and create systems that reduce chaos and increase impact.