Fundraising & Solicitation for Recognized Student Organizations

I. Purpose

This policy provides guidance to College employees regarding solicitation of funds. Fundraising by student organizations shall be conducted pursuant to the policies put forth by Student Affairs and the Offices of Finance and Administration.

II. Standards

Pursuant to the Gift Acceptance Policy enacted by the Board of Trustees in 2016, “No individual or group solicitation of funds may be undertaken by any department, program or individual without the approval of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement,” and, “All gifts to Westminster College should be directed to the Office of Institutional Advancement, and all gift solicitations, fundraising events and grant proposals must be prepared or reviewed by a member of the Office of lnstitutional Advancement.”

III. Definitions

1. “Annual fund solicitation” refers to print or emailed solicitations to a subset of alumni, donors, or other constituents for the purpose of raising funds for a specific program or project.
2. “Crowdfunding” refers to targeted, short-term (usually less than a week) fundraising efforts that utilize social media and social networks to inspire donor participation and are also undertaken to benefit a specific program or project
3. “Visit” refers to an intentional effort to meet (in person or virtual) or speak with an individual donor or potential donor with an intent to solicit for funds.

IV. Procedure

1. College employees who wish to solicit funds will first discuss the intended purpose with the appropriate member of the Leadership Team. Departmental funds should be used before resorting to fundraising.
2. If approved by the Leadership Team member, the College employee shall then meet with the VPIA to discuss the purpose and desired outcomes for the solicitation(s).
3. The VPIA shall determine whether the proposed scope and timing of the solicitation is consistent with the College’s overall fundraising priorities and plans. The VPIA shall engage the Senior Director of Strategic Prospect Management (SD-SPM) or their designee in the development of an appropriate strategy along with the College representative. Said strategy will address the legal, fiduciary, and ethical standards of practice to which the Division of Institutional Advancement is beholden.

V. Solicitation Strategy Development and Implementation

1. Annual Fund Solicitations. If approved by the VPIA, strategies for annual fund solicitations will be developed and implemented in collaboration with the SD-SPM. Expenses (print, postage) shall be paid by the requesting department. Standards for annual fund solicitations include but are not limited to:
   1. “Buck slips” shall not request credit card information. Instructions shall direct checks to the Office of Institutional Advancement.
   2. IA approval to solicit specific segments.
   3. IA approval of print collateral.
   4. Confidentiality of donor information shall be maintained.
2. Crowdfunding. If approved by the VPIA, the strategy for a crowdfunding campaign, including the solicitation of matching and challenge gifts and the training of crowdfunding advocates, will be developed and implemented in collaboration with the SD-SPM and the Senior Director of Alumni Relations. The requesting department shall bear the costs for video and other production needs.
3. Visits. If approved by the VPIA, solicitation strategies for visits will be developed and implemented in collaboration with the SD-SPM and the Senior Director of Charitable Relations (SD-CR). Strategies and standards will include, but are not limited to:
   1. Expectations for communications with the VPIA and SD-CR before and after visits including the date of the scheduled contact, responses to the outreach (no response, refusal, other), the most important outcome of the contact, the constituent’s affinity, interest in giving, timing, purpose, and level of gift, any relevant next steps and by whom, any follow up by IA, any other pertinent information (job change, address change).
   2. If determined by the VPIA, a member of the charitable relationship manager team may accompany the College employee during the visit.
   3. Gift solicitation and handling: If a gift was received during the visit, it has been hand-delivered to IA with the donor’s intent clearly documented. If a gift is expected in the near term, evidence of the donor’s intended designation for the gift.
   4. Any subsequent contact that has bearing on the individual’s philanthropic relationship with the College.
   5. The SD-SPM or their designee shall ensure that Raiser’s Edge is updated with the information provided by the College representative so that the totality of the constituent’s relationship with the College is appropriately recorded.

VI. Related Policies

1. Board of Trustees Gift Acceptance Policy
2. Division of Institutional Advancement Check-Handling Procedures
3. Division of Institutional Advancement Confidentiality Policy

VII. Related Standards

1. IRS regulations decree that donors may not receive gifts with a value of 2% or more of the donor’s total giving.
2. Fundraising efforts may not benefit an individual student or person.
3. College resources will not be used to fundraise for non-College organizations.
4. The Division of Institutional Advancement is the only entity on campus authorized to issue gift receipts.