As with all activities which take time to mature and generate a return, keeping abreast of best practice and having an insistent and guiding, yet non-threatening external voice, is vital.  When a Development Office feels it has had time to bed into the activities of the school it is often also a perfect time to review progress.  Not only is this reassuring for the Development Office but we have also found that this is a very reassuring activity for Heads and Governors who may be removed from the day-to-day fundraising activities but who have clear targets in sight.  Our audit process, most often completed over two days, is designed to meet this need and is especially valuable for all personnel new to fundraising or who have fundraising activities as part of their portfolio.