What criteria should I use to assess my Annual Giving program's success?

© Ask the Fundraiser.com 2005

James Greenfield provides a good checklist for assessments of Annual Giving programs in his book Fundraising Fundamentals. Here are 10 items to check when evaluating your program.

1. Compare with prior-year results
2. Assess the growth of your entire donor base.
3. Assess your penetration of new markets.
4. Assess the quality of the effort.
5. Evaluate your leadership development efforts and structure.
6. Evaluate the consistency and personalization of messages.
7. Assess training and staff development.
8. Examine your regular reports and the process of analyzing results.
9. Assess the program's ability to match institutional needs - and pledge fulfillment of gift commitments.
10. Assess your ability to forecast future income and each program's (within your Annual Giving efforts) performance.