"When is the best time to raise money?"
Lots of schools and other non-profits cut back on their fund raising plans in late 2008 and throughout 2009. The common wisdom was that the economic recession made it impossible for people to give. While it is true that many donors reduced their level of giving during that period, most high-capacity donors were able to sustain their investments in select schools.
Those organizations who consistently and constantly cultivated relationships with their donors were able to reach their campaign goals. Adapting a quote from Vince Lombardi,
"Fundraising is not a some time thing,
it is an all the time thing.
You don't raise money once in a while...
you do it all the time."
For example, one PK-12 school in Georgia is in the final stages of completing a $14.5M campus expansion that has been fully funded with cash and pledges. 93% was given by families and friends of the school, and 7% came from foundations. Their campaign started in 2008 and continues through today. This school succeeded because the leadership realizes fund raising isn't a faucet you turn on when you need some money--its a process of habits and relationship building that require steady progress each day.
