To set clear tasks and targets is of utter importance. It will ensure that expectations are clarified and that a strategy to meet targets is planned and agreed upon by all the involved parties.
While setting targets it is important to remember that they should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound). You should also discuss methods used to assess members of staff performance and achievements at the very beginning of a new working relationship. Try to clarify with the new fundraiser what his/her expectations are and also try to understand what they feel comfortable doing and how good they are in working under pressure. For instance, your new fundraiser tells you that he/she has experience in working under pressure and he/she feels at ease in handling several deadlines at the same time.
The number of project proposals expected from this fundraiser would be higher compared to the number of project expected from someone who has little or no experience in working under pressure. When assigning tasks and giving targets, make sure that the new member of staff has understood what he/she is supposed to do, by when and to whom they have to report. You should also explain what will happen if targets are not met once, twice or more times. The new member of staff will be in probation for at least 3 months. Use this time to understand whether you have made the best choice and also to monitor how the team at large interacts with the newcomer. Set easy targets that can be realistically met. This will ensure that the new fundraiser feels appreciated and not ostracised. Make sure that the new employee understands that before the probation ends, his/her job offer is under revision and conditional to the achievement of set targets. When dealing with volunteers, remember that they are working for the organisation without being paid! As such there is a limit to what you can expect from them and their performance.
Nevertheless, take time to draft individual plans in which you clearly state what their goals are, how to achieve them and how their work will be assessed after six (or three) months. It is important to make the volunteers understand that the NGO needs people like them, but also that the NGO is free to end any collaboration if not productive. In other words, it is not because someone works for free that he/she should stay regardless of what they do. Make sure that volunteers understand that working in the NGO could be useful for them if they take advantage of the opportunities offered to learn and improve their skills in their areas of interest.
Lastly, share with the new team members (the fundraiser and the volunteers) all available documents including templates for reports or letters to donors. This will give the new members an idea of what the NGO has been doing. Further, ask new members to think about possible improvements to be made. For instance, the first task given to the group could be that of revising existing material regarding fundraising events, to create new folders or archiving systems and to suggest ideas to make the system more agile. For instance, they could suggest new ways of finding and profiling potential donors, new ideas for maintaining and expanding existing database or new layouts for official correspondence paper. Always remember to provide new members with a senior mentor. This will ensure that the new team understands what the organisation has been doing and how to approach tasks and implement new ideas.
Organise social events to make sure that new members are introduced to the old members and that they have space and time to bond.
