Now that the school year has ended and the hot days of summer have arrived, don’t make the mistake of taking a two-month summer vacation! I strongly recommend that you take time off this summer to relax, be with your family and friends and to ‘sharpen the saw’. However, regarding your position in development, the summer is the most important planning time you have – don’t waste it!
This is the time to be creating your plan for the annual fund: what will be sent, when it will be sent, establish the budget for printing the annual fund brochure, get the brochure written and the first mailing organized, etc., etc. Create your major gift plan for the year – identify the prospects you will cultivate and those you will solicit; remind the President/Principal that you will need one to two days per month from him or her for major gift solicitation; begin to organize your events for the year (should have only two major events – one in the fall, one in the spring); pick the most important item that you didn’t get done last year and start to work on it this summer; create your strategy for planned giving program.
Perhaps you will attend a professional development seminar – hopefully ours, Philanthropy in Challenging Economic Times, at the University of Notre Dame from August 5-7. This is the perfect opportunity to network with other professionals with the same challenges you have. Much can be learned at this type of gathering. It can also be the ‘trigger’ event for you to create your development plan for the year.
There is so much to be done in development and so little time. Planning must be done PRIOR to execution of the plan (not while you are executing!) if you want to be successful. An effective, efficient development operation is more important now than ever before. Philanthropic support for your school is needed now more than ever. Use the summer to prepare for the battle! Competition is fierce; you must be focused, prepared and organized. Use the summer to get into ‘game shape’ so that you are motivated and ready to go come fall.
