Fundraising Committee Duties

All of the great conservation mission work your local chapter accomplishes requires resources to be successful. The Fundraising Committee is typically tasked with planning the major money-raising events, ranging from the traditional banquet and grant applications, to newer types of fundraisers, such as online auctions, crowd-funding, major donor friendraisers and more. Recruiting and supporting a team of skilled individuals is a great way to cultivate a giving culture.

Many chapters have a standing fundraising committee, or appoint a fundraising chair, whose duties include cultivating a giving ethos while growing and tracking chapter fundraising efforts through a variety of means. The committee performs a key role by empowering current members and supporters to donate as well as maintaining donor’s contact information and working in alignment with the board to reach fundraising goals.

When Starting a Fundraising Committee or Taking Over as Fundraising Chair

• Receive and review records from past fundraising chair including the position description. Ask the past chair for lessons learned and a full review of the prior year’s duties, activities and goals.
• Review the fundraising resources
• Discuss the fundraising goals with your board to gain a better understanding of expectations and your new role.
• Ensure your chapter president enters you as the fundraising chair in the Leaders Only Tools section of tu.org (so that you have access to the rosters, membership changes report, etc…)
• Get into the Leaders Only Tools section and explore. Reach out to your Volunteer Operations Staff if you have any questions.
• Review the Membership Memo to better understand the introductory membership as a means of generating chapter funds
• Explore the Leaders Forum discussions by role related keyword searches (e.g. banquet games, fundraising event ideas, chapter meeting fundraising).

Ongoing Tasks of a Fundraising Committee or Chair

• With the chapter board, set fundraising goals for the chapter and develop plans for maintaining successful fundraising efforts and introducing new fundraising efforts
• Report on status of chapter fundraising against these goals at each chapter board meeting including: total revenue, change from last meeting, new introductory memberships, etc.
• Train and inspire your leadership team to promote your compelling chapter story as well as philanthropic giving in fundraising event promotions by including pertinent details (e.g. funds allocation) and at events by encouraging interaction and giving life to chapter successes.
• Ensure that the chapter has current TU membership applications/ brochures in stock and properly coded with chapter’s 3-digit number to recruit new members – train and encourage all board members to use the special page www.tu.org/intro to recruit new members online. All new members recruited by a chapter volunteer earn the chapter a $15 rebate at the end of the year
• Report donations to the treasurer for proper donation acknowledgements.
• Interact with other chapter fundraising committee members at council meetings, regional rendezvous and other pertinent events to share successes and network.
• Organize appreciation notes for donors to thank them for their gift and investment in your mission but also to encourage their involvement.
• Ongoing quality control of the donor roster with accurate contact information and donor history.