You probably know this feeling as a fundraiser.
It’s Tuesday morning. You’ve got meeting notes to type up and follow-up letters to send. You’re approving copy, calling donors to schedule upcoming meetings, reviewing internal memos, and updating the budget. You’re finalizing a grant report. You’re sending two new foundation memos.
And that’s just the work stuff. Add in sports practice, Bible study, family dinner, and date night… you’re juggling so many different demands, and they’re not even all related to fundraising.
No wonder it feels overwhelming!
If you’re going to be successful as a fundraiser, you need to practice excellent time management. And the very first step is to focus on revenue-generating activities.
Here are two practical tips to help you do that.
You’ve probably heard this before, but it bears repeating: schedule your big rocks first.
For fundraisers, those “big rocks” are revenue-generating activities. When you plan your calendar, put them in first.
If you start with the small, less important things, you’re not going to have space for the big rock. But if you start with the big rock, you can fit the small things around it later.
If you want a visual example of this principle, Stephen Covey’s classic “big rocks” illustration is worth watching.
You’ve probably heard the phrase: eat the frog first.
That means tackling the task you really don’t wanna do and oftentimes, it’s one of your big rocks.
Do that thing first in your day. Get it out of the way.
If you eat the frog first, you’re gonna make sure you actually do it instead of putting it off and derailing the rest of your day. Even better, you avoid framing your whole day with a sense of dread for that one thing you’ve been avoiding.
For a deeper dive, check out Brian Tracy’s classic book Eat That Frog!.
Fundraising will always come with competing demands. But if you can:
1) Schedule your big rocks first, and
2) Eat the frog early in your day,
you’ll stay focused on what matters most: building the relationships and securing the gifts that fuel your mission.
At AmPhil, we know how difficult it is for development professionals to manage the competing demands on their time while staying focused on major gifts.
That’s why we host programs and events like the Major Gifts Fundraising Seminar, where you’ll learn how to prioritize the activities that make the biggest difference for your nonprofit.
For more practical resources, check out our articles on fundraising strategy and listening to your donors.