When developing a fundraising plan, I am often asked whether or not, I can skip the development audit analysis. And, I arguably say “no!”

A fundraising audit is probably the most critical stage of the entire planning process looking at where an organization is now, where it has been, and where do they want to be? Without knowing the answers to these questions, how can anyone put together a solid plan for the future?

An audit is a review of all the factors within an organization that may impact how an organization can expect to accomplish in the future both internally and externally.

A fundraising audit is the first essential component of a healthy fundraising plan, and it provides the “Where are we now?” component. It is only when the organization has a complete picture of the organization’s current strategic position and each of the donor markets served can the organization hope to make meaningful objectives for the future.

So, when an organization says to me, “We don’t have the time to bother conducting a fundraising audit. We’re too busy doing the fundraising.” I say, that if you don’t have a roadmap for the future, you are always going to do what you have done and how do you expect your fundraising to do any better than it has always done? It is absolutely essential and critical to the success of any planning efforts.

Don’t skimp on a development audit. You will only be skimping on solid results in the future.  And, that is just plain insanity!