Putting Meat on the Bones: Business Plan Structure, Pt 2

To pick up where we left off with the parts of a business plan...

3) Marketing Plan

     The marketing plan must identify the target audience of your organization, which can be divided into two categories:  program recipients and program donors. It's important to define and quantify your audience in terms of the services you provide as well as describing the pros and cons of each potential funding source. This section should also describe any other organizations that offer similar services and explain why yours is unique. Trends regarding the needs you want to address should also be included. The most important part of this section, however, is the public relations plan. How will GFGF be marketed? To whom? It is this section that will require some brainstorming.

4) Financial Plan

     This section is mostly composed of a lot of Excel spreadsheets detailing startup costs and financial projections for the next few years, including profits, losses, cash flow, donations, and budget analysis. This expenditure breakdown is important in detailing exactly where any money Give for Good receives would go. How much would be allocated to administrative costs, etc?

5) Additional Documents
 
     This part would include any documents referenced in the body of the business plan plus any papers that could supplement the plan. Some examples could include the foundation bylaws, resumes of board members, studies reinforcing your foundation goals and the needs it plans to serve, support letters from community leaders, and any relevant contracts.


Whew! Thus concludes my summary of business plan structure. Until next time!
~Priya