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do you know what you don’t know?

do you know what you don’t know?

Fundraising Questions

You’ve probably heard the expression, “you don’t know what you don’t know,” and that can get you in trouble.  It is probably true in most professions but it seems even more so with fundraising questions.  Most people train for professions like law, medicine, accounting, human resource, marketing, but in our field, people come with varied backgrounds and little — if any – fundraising training.

Fundraising can be simple but the behind-the-scenes activities require attention. There are various fundraising questions to be asked.  Are you in compliance with FASB regarding pledges?  Has your Board completed a conflict of interest statement?  Is there D&O insurance in place?  Are you in legal compliance with the AG office of your state? And are you registered in other states where you are doing business?  A “fundraiser” may not need to know the answers to these fundraising questions, but your offices should be able to answer these questions.  When you see something that may raise a flag, do you know where to go for the fundraising solutions?  When a donor asks if a pledge is legally enforceable, how do you answer the question?

If you need help ask for it.  If you realize that you really “don’t know what you don’t know” find someone who does.  This field is changing dramatically and you can expect further compliance and regulations being imposed on charities by both the states and the federal government.  Most importantly, don’t forget who may ask you the hardest fundraising questions…your donors.

“Ideas won’t keep.
Something must be done about them.”

— ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD

Written by:  Paul D’Alessandro

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