How can you evaluate and adjust the effectiveness of your fundraising team?

2 Track and analyze your data

The second step to evaluate and adjust your fundraising team's effectiveness is to track and analyze your data. You need to collect and monitor relevant metrics and indicators that reflect your progress and outcomes. These can include the number and amount of donations, the cost per dollar raised, the donor acquisition and retention rates, the return on investment, and the impact of your programs. You can use various tools and methods to track and analyze your data, such as spreadsheets, databases, dashboards, surveys, and reports.

3 Review and communicate your results

The third step to evaluate and adjust your fundraising team's effectiveness is to review and communicate your results. You need to compare your actual performance with your expected goals and identify what worked well and what didn't. You also need to share your findings and feedback with your team and other stakeholders, such as your board, staff, volunteers, donors, and beneficiaries. You can use different formats and channels to communicate your results, such as meetings, presentations, newsletters, emails, and social media.

4 Celebrate and reward your successes

The fourth step to evaluate and adjust your fundraising team's effectiveness is to celebrate and reward your successes. You need to acknowledge and appreciate your team's efforts and achievements, as well as the contributions of your supporters and partners. You can use various ways to celebrate and reward your successes, such as thank-you notes, certificates, recognition events, incentives, bonuses, and testimonials. Celebrating and rewarding your successes can boost your team's morale, motivation, and loyalty, as well as your donor's satisfaction and trust.

5 Learn and improve from your challenges

The fifth step to evaluate and adjust your fundraising team's effectiveness is to learn and improve from your challenges. You need to identify and address the gaps, weaknesses, and risks that hindered your performance or prevented you from reaching your goals. You also need to seek and implement feedback, suggestions, and best practices from your team and other sources, such as experts, peers, and research. You can use various strategies to learn and improve from your challenges, such as debriefing sessions, coaching, training, mentoring, and collaboration.

6 Adjust and update your plans

The sixth and final step to evaluate and adjust your fundraising team's effectiveness is to adjust and update your plans. You need to revise and refine your goals, strategies, and actions based on your results, learning, and improvement. You also need to set new and realistic targets and milestones for your next period or cycle. You can use various tools and techniques to adjust and update your plans, such as SWOT analysis, SMART criteria, logic models, and action plans.