Planning and Feasibility Studies, Community Audits, Strategic Plans:

At Collective Intelligence Consulting, we will provide a report with recommendations, depending on the study done, for designing, implementing, and evaluating a fund development program or suggesting specific directions to take, unique to your organization's needs.

Some definitions:

A Master Planning Study:" A detailed and complex study done by a consultant which deals with many aspects of an institution's operations apart from fundraising, such as vision, mission, administration, financial management and governance." (Lexicon-John Grenzebach)

Feasibility Study: "An in depth examination and assessment of the fund raising potential of an institution or agency, conducted by consultants, and presented in the form of a written report setting out various conclusions, recommendations and proposed plans."(Lexicon)

Community Audit:

"A written report that describes both the organization's internal situation and the external environment within which it operates, after interviews have been done with both constituents/stakeholders. It generally identifies opportunities for improving fundraising potential."

Strategic Planning:

"Strategic Planning is an entrepreneurial process. The organization attempts to design its own future - based on the external environment, its opportunities and constraints. Strategic Planning looks at forces outside the organization's control..." (James Lord) CIC can assist in this type of planning by helping the organization/agency look at its options critically, and then develop an action plan with a timeline, a budget and a process for meeting specific objectives.

CIC can also, after certain studies, provide a written one-year operational plan or "road map" for fund development, including staffing and resource needs. After certain studies, a written three-to-five year strategic plan as well as a marketing and communication plan for fund development that includes innovative strategies and tools to broaden the organization's fundraising base beyond its present donors as well as enhance its capacity to fundraise, can be provided.