6 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Plan for Fall – Yearly

We know—it feels early to even think about the fall. With summer underway and “out of office” emails abundant, the thought of fall feels like it’s months, if not years away!

Despite that, it is important for nonprofits to start strategizing for the new season as early as they can. Doing so will help alleviate stress and optimize upcoming campaigns, fundraising tactics, and future success. That way, once fall really does make an appearance, you and your team will feel fully prepared and ready to take on the busy season.

This preparation, though, can be a huge undertaking. With so much to do, nonprofit leaders can easily feel overwhelmed—especially during a time when they want to relax and unplug.

Check out our six tips for getting ahead this season!

6 ways to plan for fall

Audit your previous work

If you’ve capitalized on the slow summer months already, you probably have this already nailed down. If not, take the time to give your organization a mid-year review. What worked? What didn’t work? Where could you use improvement?

By taking a look at any previous impact, initiatives, campaigns, and more, you’ll be better suited to address the needs of your community. In doing so, you’ll improve your practices for the upcoming season. Then, you’ll be better equipped to avoid repeat mistakes and make more impact than ever before.

Create a strategy

Before diving headfirst into the actual planning itself, develop a thoughtful strategy. This strategy could include a timeline with benchmarks and milestones, a schedule of recurring meetings to discuss new initiatives, and even an outline of projects and their scopes.

Without a strategy, nonprofits can often feel adrift in their planning and a little directionless. Make sure your team feels confident in the process so they feel included and aware.

Set goals

In tandem with creating a strategy, it’s important that your organization outlines very specific goals when you plan for fall. What are you hoping to accomplish in this upcoming season? How will you measure it?

While some nonprofits want to increase volunteer engagement and retention, others might want to increase their digital footprint and enhance discoverability. For others, becoming mobile-friendly and going green are at the top of the list.

Once you’ve determined your objectives, you and your team will feel much more clear as you plan and strategize.

Delegate

One of the biggest ways to alleviate the pressure associated with planning for fall is delegation. By assigning coworkers tasks and duties related to the objectives, you’ll feel less burdened. When you delegate, make sure the responsibilities of each task are clearly outlined. And, be sure to include a timeline so everyone can keep pace with one another.

Think outside the box 

It can be easy to fall into old patterns of fundraising and campaigning, especially when you’ve been in the nonprofit industry for years. Despite the familiarity of some initiatives, try and get creative this season!

The fall is a perfect opportunity to expand your fundraising horizons by integrating new, refreshing opportunities. Your supporters will be excited by the prospect of something new!

Focus on long-term growth

Though the fall itself can feel incredibly busy, it’s important to keep the long-term future of the organization in mind as well. What new practices can you set in motion that will set your foundation up for future success, beyond this season? What strategies can you implement that will ensure long-term longevity?

By starting to strategize ways to plan for fall, you’ll alleviate some major stress down the road—no matter how hard it might be to pull away from the pool and lounge chair!