As with anything, the most important tool in fundraising is the plan.

Take a couple of hours one afternoon to plot out the Fall. That way, when everything else is breaking loose, you'll have your prioritized to-do list right in front of you. You'll still have to implement, of course, but you won't have to take the time to think about what to do (the most common reason for losing focus when life gets too busy).

What should be in that plan?

Donor Stewardship - The payoff for most of your donors is the feeling that they are "seen" as providing support and feel part of the family. Make time each week to reach out to a donor or two from different constituencies (this includes board members!). Let them know how much they mean to you, and take time to listen: they will tell you loads.

Consistency - Commit to doing two fundraising tasks per week. Every week. Donor calls, prospect lunches, brief but warm cover notes sent with interesting news articles... make this a habit twice a week. No slacking!

Balanced Return - Include activities with both short and long-term payoff. Reaching out to the funders of the future, as well as nurturing prospects close-at-hand. Sometimes you need a 3, 5 or even 10-year timeline to get to a really big payoff. Begin to sow those seeds now.

Combined Strategies - Mix up requests for all sorts of things (money, goods, expertise, time) along with pure donor stewardship - and always remember to ask "Who else might be interested in knowing about our work?"

Once you have your plan, it's a matter of follow-through - and while that's easier said than done, it's much simpler than trying to figure out, week by week, what should come next.

If your organization produces a Fall fundraising event, that's even more reason to think it through beforehand, before the press of the event turns your brain into mush.