Mistakes in fundraising can be very costly – particularly for smaller organizations pressed by tight budgets and ever-increasing needs. Here are 12 pitfalls to avoid.

1. Being reluctant to ask for donations. If you are not asking for gifts, you are probably receiving far less than your potential.
2. Failing to do your homework. Many charitable organizations fail to adequately research their potential donors; for example, income levels, past giving history, and personal interests.
3. Failing to inform, educate, and motivate donors. An uninformed, uneducated, and unmotivated donor is one who will probably not make future gifts.
4. Failing to seek fundraising assistance. Fundraising information is available through the library, workshops, seminars, and competent consultants.
5. Having board members in name only. All board members must be involved in the fundraising process, whether it is asking for gifts, opening doors, or identifying potential donors.
6. Having board members who do not give. All board members should be asked to make a monetary contribution in accordance with their abilities to give.
7. Having no written fundraising goals. To achieve success in fundraising, written goals that can be accomplished, changed, or modified are imperative to success.
8. Keeping inadequate records. Not-for-profits must keep accurate records on income and expenses as well as pledges, donor files, prospect lists, and in-kind gifts.
9. Not giving top priority to individual donors. Individuals are responsible for more than 80 percent of all gifts, while foundations and corporations combined give less than 20 percent of all gifts in the U.S.; although more time and overhead are spent in asking individuals for donations, it often pays off in the end.
10. Not holding people to the commitment they made. Follow up with people on what they said they would do. Chances are this will remind people of their commitments and assure that they will honor them.
11. Planning insufficiently. Don’t wait until there is a problem with your fundraising program, but instead, conduct periodic reviews of your fundraising needs, programs, and capabilities.
12. Thinking you can conduct major funding efforts or a capital fund drive without experienced help. If you don’t have fundraising experience, attend fundraising training, hire experienced development staff, or search for a consultant.

Source: Adapted From: 18 Common Fundraising Mistakes.and How to Avoid Them, by Nora McClintock

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