Is Your Fundraising Plan Realistic, or Just Hopeful?
“Hope is not a strategy”
Every January, I see the same thing happen inside nonprofit organizations.
A spreadsheet is opened.
Numbers are copied from last year.
Percent increases are applied.
And suddenly, a “plan” appears.
On paper, it looks ambitious.
In reality, it may be quietly setting your fundraising team up for stress, burnout, or disappointment.
So let’s talk honestly about the difference between realistic fundraising plans and hopeful ones—and how to tell which camp yours falls into.
The Hidden Cost of a “Hopeful” Fundraising Plan
Hope is not a bad thing. Fundraising requires it.
But when hope becomes the strategy, problems start to surface.
A hopeful fundraising plan often:
Assumes growth without accounting for capacity
Relies on “we’ll figure it out” instead of clear systems
Ignores what actually happened last year
Puts pressure on one or two staff members to “make it work somehow”
These plans don’t usually fail because the mission isn’t worthy.
They fail because the math doesn’t match reality.
Common Planning Traps I See Again and Again
If your plan feels shaky, one (or more) of these may be at play:
1. Aspirational Spreadsheets
The numbers reflect what you wish could happen—not what your current staffing, systems, and donor base can reasonably support.
2. Capacity Blind Spots
Plans are built without factoring in:
Staff time
Skill level
Turnover
Competing responsibilities
Board engagement (or lack thereof)
3. Copy-and-Paste Growth
Last year + 10% is not a strategy.
Especially if last year already felt exhausting.
4. Overreliance on “One Big Thing”
One major event.
One grant.
One major donor breakthrough.
If it doesn’t land, the entire plan wobbles.
What Capacity-Based Planning Actually Looks Like
A realistic fundraising plan starts with a different question.
Not: “How much money do we need?”
But: “What can we reasonably execute well with what we have?”
Capacity-based planning:
Aligns goals with available people, time, and systems
Prioritizes fewer strategies done consistently
Acknowledges constraints without shame
Creates steadier momentum (and calmer nervous systems)
This doesn’t mean playing small.
It means building trustable plans—the kind your team can actually follow through on.
A Quick Reality Check for Your 2026 Plan
Ask yourself:
Do we have the staff time to execute everything in this plan?
Are expectations aligned between leadership, board, and fundraising staff?
Are we relying on heroic effort instead of solid systems?
Would this plan still work if one thing didn’t go as expected?
If answering those questions feels uncomfortable, that’s not failure—it’s useful information.
When It’s Time to Get Support
If you’re realizing that your plan is more hopeful than realistic, you’re not alone. This is exactly where many smart, committed nonprofit leaders find themselves.
This is also where outside support can make a meaningful difference—whether through:
A fundraising or planning audit
One-on-one coaching
A structured planning framework
Hands-on support rebuilding your plan around capacity and clarity
If you’d like help pressure-testing your plan—or building one that actually fits your organization—I’d love to support you.
You can explore my planning tools and consulting options here, or reach out to start a conversation.
Because fundraising feels very different when the plan is built on reality—not just hope.
