Fundraising readiness checklist

If you’re going to receive fundraising income for your not-for-profit then you’re going to need the following.

A fundraising licence or permit

A fundriaising licence or permit as required by your state. Check out our helpsheet on fundraising regulations for a list of requirements.

A receipting system

A receipting system that takes donors’ names and contact details, and can issue them with a receipt (if you use GiveNow.com.au to collect your donations you can opt for automatically issued receipts).

An accounting system

An accounting system that makes sure the receipted money is recorded, deposited, tracked, and accounted for.

A bank account

A bank account that’s protected by a requirement for several signatures.

A reply process

A reply process that ensures that anybody who's been generous to you is thanked, flattered, and if at all possible recruited into a permanent relationship with the organisation.

A database

A database (preferably electronic) that stores all the details about your donors, including names and contact details, how much they’ve given and how often, when you last contacted them and about what, and any other detail that would help you with future appeals.

A budgeting system

A budgeting system that can tell you how much you plan to bring in through fundraising, how much you’ve actually taken in, and how much you've spent month by month and year by year.

A reporting system

A reporting system that shows the public what you've spent the money on and how it helped people.