The first 90 days of the year — the first quarter — has now passed.

No doubt you began the year with a work-related aspirational list of some sort — from New Year’s resolutions to a 2015 ‘to do’ list to a grand strategic plan for the year.

So, with the first quarter behind you, it’s a good time to review — what progress have you made against your aspirations?

I’m just guessing, but here are some questions that many Agitator readers might be asking of yourselves and your fundraising programs at this juncture.

1. Am I ahead of projections? If not, why not? And what can I do about it? What needs to change?
2. What about that particular project I was determined to complete straightaway in 2015 — e.g., making our online presence mobile-friendly, refreshing our renewal series, overhauling our online donate process and pages, sending a special ‘thank you’ to our top 100 (1,000) donors. Have I completed it? Why not? Have I re-committed and re-set the deadline?
3. Have I read three books on fundraising — remember your New Year’s pledge to read one fundraising book* a month through 2015?!
4. Have I done anything else to improve my professional competence so far this year?
5. Have I made the new hire that I was authorised to make in this budget year? Why the delay?
6. Speaking of budgets — and performance stats aside — do I have any budget surprises already this year? How will I recover?
7. Have I made any progress eliminating the teeny distractions that take my focus off my real priorities?
8. Have I and my staff devoted the time I promised we would to brainstorming needed innovations to our fundraising program?
9. Have I begun laying the groundwork with our CFO for a bigger investment in fundraising for next year?
10. Did I finally buy a paid subscription to The Agitator? What am I waiting for!?

I’m sure you promised yourself — and maybe your colleagues — that you would meet one or another milestone(s) like these in the coming year.

90 days in … are you on track to deliver? Is it going to be the year you hoped for?

Tom

P.S. Feeling pretty good about your fundraising prospects for the year? Warning: Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. The Atlas of Giving projects a small (0.1%) decline in giving over the next 12-month period, even taking into account relatively strong performance (year-over-year) through July.

*Yes, I’m biased, but I hope Roger’s Retention Fundraising is on your list.