Top Ten Questions Before Donating
23 January 2003 at 12:01 pm
Many charitable organisations will be embarking on major gift campaigns in 2003 – some for the first time. And while your organisations considers its ability to give making sure you ask the right questions up front can make the donation a win-win situation for all concerned.
Professional fundraiser and prominent member of the Fundraising Institute –Australia, Marike van Breugel (Van Breugel & Associates) offers her top ten questions to put to organisations when you are approached to make a major gift.
Here’s Marike’s list:
1. Why have I been singled out to be approached for this gift?
2. What is the total to date secured for the project and how much have you (the peer soliciting the gift) personally given to this project?
3. Can you tell me exactly how much each and every Board member donated to the organisation/this project in the past 12 months?
4. Who else have you approached to give to this project and what were their responses?
5. May I see the current Business Plan, together with the last report on progress to date on implementation?
6. How does this project that you are seeking funds for fit within the key strategic direction of the organisation? How, why and when was this project chosen?
7. What will happen if the full amount is not secured for this project? Will it still go ahead? Will it be modified?
8. How much of my donation is being spent on fundraising costs, administration etc and how will you be reporting this to myself and others?
9. What level of general reporting and evaluation will you be providing to me? Who will be preparing and presenting it and how often can I expect it?
10. Will the organisation be publicising and using my gift to help secure other gifts? What exactly will you be expecting of me if I make this gift and for how long?
Marike says these questions assume of course that you and your corporation have already asked the basic questions about whether the organisation is about to go bankrupt, and whether they comply with the Fundraising Appeals Act, Privacy Act……
