Blog

Fundraising can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re working part-time. You know you need a strategy, but who has time for a 20-page fundraising plan? Good news: you don’t need one.

A simple, one-page fundraising plan can help you stay focused, organized, and—most importantly—effective. Here’s how to create one in less than an hour.

Step 1: Define Your Fundraising Goal

Before anything else, get crystal clear on your goal. Instead of saying, “We need more donations,” make it specific:

✅ How much do you need to raise? (e.g., $10,000 in six months)
✅ What will the money fund? (e.g., scholarships, equipment, operations)
✅ By when? (Set a deadline to create urgency.)

The more specific your goal, the easier it is to create a plan that works.

Step 2: Identify Your Best Donors

Not all donors are the same, and that’s okay. Focus your energy on the ones most likely to give.

✅ Who has donated before? Prior donors are more likely to give again.
✅ Who has a personal connection to your cause? Volunteers, community members, or beneficiaries can become strong supporters.
✅ Who has the capacity to give more? A small group of major donors can make a huge impact.

Make a short list (even just 10-20 names) of people to focus on.

Step 3: Choose 3 Simple Fundraising Tactics

You don’t need a dozen strategies. Pick three that align with your time and resources. Here are a few effective ones:

🔹 Personalized email outreach – Send heartfelt, direct emails to past donors. 🔹 Peer-to-peer fundraising – Encourage your supporters to ask their networks for donations.
🔹 Recurring giving campaign – Convert one-time donors into monthly givers.
🔹 Social media storytelling – Share impact stories and donation links.
🔹 Matching gifts – Partner with a donor or business to match contributions.

Choose the three that best fit your audience and capacity, then focus on executing them well.

Step 4: Create a Simple Timeline

A fundraising plan is only useful if you actually follow it! Map out a realistic timeline so you know what to do and when.

🗓Week 1: Finalize donor list & draft emails.
🗓Week 2: Launch your campaign (email + social media).
🗓 Week 3-4: Follow up with donors, share updates, and encourage peer fundraising.
🗓 Week 5: Send last-chance reminders before deadline.

Keep it simple. Small, consistent action beats a complicated plan that never gets executed.

Step 5: Track Progress & Adjust

Check in weekly to see what’s working. Are emails getting responses? Are donors engaging? If something isn’t working, pivot!

✅ What’s working? Do more of that.
✅ What’s not? Adjust your messaging or outreach strategy.
✅ Who needs follow-up? A personal reminder can make a big difference.

Ready to Get Started?

Your one-page fundraising plan doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be actionable. Start small, focus on what works, and build from there.

Need a simple way to track donors and donations? Check us out at Karani.co – we make fundraising software designed for busy fundraisers like you.