Funding Formula Stage 6

Implementing Your Resource Mobilization Strategy

1. Integrating your Resource Mobilization strategy

A Resource Mobilization taskforce comprising staff, senior management and volunteers can develop a clear plan of roles and responsibilities. This will ensure Resource Mobilization is integrated throughout your Member Association. The taskforce will report to the Executive Director, who in turn will report to your Member Association’s Governing Body.

2.“Everyone does Resource Mobilization”

All members of staff have a role to play in Resource Mobilization – including programme and technical teams, clinic staff, advocacy division, Member Association national office, regional offices and local service delivery points. They can be involved in the following tasks:

2.1 Strategic planning, forecasting and monitoring

• Evaluate existing resources, and Resource Mobilization experience, and assess your capacity for Resource Mobilization – including human and financial resources, and organizational development
• Forecast Resource Mobilization needs in the future: your programming strategy will inform your Member Association income requirements
• Develop your Resource Mobilization strategy and plan
• Establish some SMART Resource Mobilization targets
• Budget for Resource Mobilization: this will fund your Resource Mobilization activities, such as attending conferences, producing communications materials or organizing a donor meeting

2.2 Donor research and networking

• Identify existing and potential Resource Mobilization opportunities and sources
• Keep up to date with relevant trends
• Donor mapping and intelligence

2.3 Donor cultivation

• Reach out to and engage with donors to leverage, maintain and increase support (a quick scan of your Member Association may identify many relationships and memberships with a wide range of partners and donors)

2.4 Bid/proposal preparation

• Project design
• Assemble bid preparation team
• Draft, develop and submit concept notes, funding proposals and reports

2.5 Volunteer and senior staff support

• Support your Member Association’s Resource Mobilization efforts, and ensure that your strategy is properly resourced – with staff and funding
• Resource Mobilization is an integral part of your board’s role; board members can be very effective fundraisers
• Volunteers’ contributions to your organization are not for monetary gain; they can therefore speak with legitimacy and authority
• Volunteers can dramatically increase your Member Association’s visibility by serving as ambassadors and spokespeople, networkers and community leaders

2.6 Administration

• Manage and track income
• Ensure adherence to reporting requirements and renewal opportunities
• Maintain donor contact details on database
• Continually monitor all fundraising activities, for example, keeping a record and a diary of events, meetings, follow-up, outcomes, deadlines for proposals, and reports required