3 things you should do to start 2009 on the right foot

1. Review your fundraising plan
Since many nonprofits have had to cut staff and focus resources, it is particularly important that nonprofits go over their fundraising plan with a fine tooth comb. It should include taking a good look at who your donors are, particularly at their age. If you have a lot of young donors then you should have things like starting a blog, using more social media, etc. in your plan. If you have older donors, then this is the year to really focus and glean your planned giving operation. It also should be realistic and have numbers to back up projected revenue.

2. Get organized and be more efficient with your time
This is extremely important. Don’t let your desk stay cluttered, don’t let your to-do lists grow and grow, don’t let those great new ideas keep moving down on your priorities. Here, here, and here are a few good posts and websites to help you get started get organized and be more efficient with your time.

3. Embrace social media
This year's presidential campaign has demonstrated the power of social media. Many forms of social media (blogs, twitter, etc) are free. They can help your organization raise money, get new supporters, and raise awareness about your cause. This is the year to make sure your organization takes advantage of social media. To get you started, here are a few tips from ProBlogger on nonprofit blogging, here is a blog that is all about how nonprofits can use social media, and here are 9 Steps to Prioritize Nonprofit Social Media Training and Experimentation.