Evaluation of Nonprofit Fundraising Practices

1. Welcome!

This assessment tool can be used to get a reasonable impression of the quality of the fundraising practices in your nonprofit.

Your information in the assessment will not be shared with anyone else.

You could use results of this assessment tool to: 1) ensure a strong foundation from which to add a program or undertake a major change effort; 2) do an internal analysis as part of an overall fundraising planning activity; 3) develop a common understanding among leaders regarding what needs to be done regarding fundraising in your nonprofit; and 4) assess how your nonprofit compares to what many nonprofit experts suggest as standards for fundraising.

Next to each specific indicator are choices, including “Met,” “Needs Work,” “Not Applicable,” and “Don’t Know.” After reading each indicator, place a check mark under the appropriate choice as to how your nonprofit performs to that indicator.

After you have completed the assessment, print out the results by using the "Print" command in your browser (probably available by clicking on the "File" command). Notice which areas need work, especially those marked "E".

This on-line assessment tool is provided by Authenticity Consulting, LLC (www.authenticityconsulting.com) and is used with permission from the Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Question Title

* 1. Please identify yourself. (Your information will NOT be shared with anyone.)

Name of your nonprofit organization:

Your name:

Your position in your nonprofit:

Time in your position:

Your phone number:

Your e-mail address:

Question Title

* 2. GENERAL FUNDRAISING -- The following indicators are in regard to ensuring high-quality fundraising planning and activities.

	Met	Needs Work	Not Applicable	Don't Know
a. Funds are raised in an ethical manner for activities consistent with the organization's mission and plan. (E)	a. Funds are raised in an ethical manner for activities consistent with the organization's mission and plan. (E) Met	a. Funds are raised in an ethical manner for activities consistent with the organization's mission and plan. (E) Needs Work	a. Funds are raised in an ethical manner for activities consistent with the organization's mission and plan. (E) Not Applicable	a. Funds are raised in an ethical manner for activities consistent with the organization's mission and plan. (E) Don't Know
b. The Board of Directors and organization staff are knowledgeable about the fundraising process and the roles in the organization. (E)	b. The Board of Directors and organization staff are knowledgeable about the fundraising process and the roles in the organization. (E) Met	b. The Board of Directors and organization staff are knowledgeable about the fundraising process and the roles in the organization. (E) Needs Work	b. The Board of Directors and organization staff are knowledgeable about the fundraising process and the roles in the organization. (E) Not Applicable	b. The Board of Directors and organization staff are knowledgeable about the fundraising process and the roles in the organization. (E) Don't Know
c. The organization's Board of Directors has established a committee (or task force) charged with developing, evaluating and reviewing fundraising policies, practices and goals. (E)	c. The organization's Board of Directors has established a committee (or task force) charged with developing, evaluating and reviewing fundraising policies, practices and goals. (E) Met	c. The organization's Board of Directors has established a committee (or task force) charged with developing, evaluating and reviewing fundraising policies, practices and goals. (E) Needs Work	c. The organization's Board of Directors has established a committee (or task force) charged with developing, evaluating and reviewing fundraising policies, practices and goals. (E) Not Applicable	c. The organization's Board of Directors has established a committee (or task force) charged with developing, evaluating and reviewing fundraising policies, practices and goals. (E) Don't Know
d. The committee is actively involved in the fundraising process and works to involve others in these activities. (E)	d. The committee is actively involved in the fundraising process and works to involve others in these activities. (E) Met	d. The committee is actively involved in the fundraising process and works to involve others in these activities. (E) Needs Work	d. The committee is actively involved in the fundraising process and works to involve others in these activities. (E) Not Applicable	d. The committee is actively involved in the fundraising process and works to involve others in these activities. (E) Don't Know
e. The Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer (if applicable) and committees support and participate in the total fundraising process, including project identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition. (R)	e. The Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer (if applicable) and committees support and participate in the total fundraising process, including project identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition. (R) Met	e. The Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer (if applicable) and committees support and participate in the total fundraising process, including project identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition. (R) Needs Work	e. The Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer (if applicable) and committees support and participate in the total fundraising process, including project identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition. (R) Not Applicable	e. The Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer (if applicable) and committees support and participate in the total fundraising process, including project identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition. (R) Don't Know
f. The fundraising program is staffed and funded at a level consistent with fundraising expectations. (R)	f. The fundraising program is staffed and funded at a level consistent with fundraising expectations. (R) Met	f. The fundraising program is staffed and funded at a level consistent with fundraising expectations. (R) Needs Work	f. The fundraising program is staffed and funded at a level consistent with fundraising expectations. (R) Not Applicable	f. The fundraising program is staffed and funded at a level consistent with fundraising expectations. (R) Don't Know
g. There are direct communications and relationships between information services or marketing, accounting and other administration support functions to assist in the fundraising needs and efforts. (A)	g. There are direct communications and relationships between information services or marketing, accounting and other administration support functions to assist in the fundraising needs and efforts. (A) Met	g. There are direct communications and relationships between information services or marketing, accounting and other administration support functions to assist in the fundraising needs and efforts. (A) Needs Work	g. There are direct communications and relationships between information services or marketing, accounting and other administration support functions to assist in the fundraising needs and efforts. (A) Not Applicable	g. There are direct communications and relationships between information services or marketing, accounting and other administration support functions to assist in the fundraising needs and efforts. (A) Don't Know
h. The organization is accountable to donors and other key constituencies and demonstrates its stewardship through annual reports. (E)	h. The organization is accountable to donors and other key constituencies and demonstrates its stewardship through annual reports. (E) Met	h. The organization is accountable to donors and other key constituencies and demonstrates its stewardship through annual reports. (E) Needs Work	h. The organization is accountable to donors and other key constituencies and demonstrates its stewardship through annual reports. (E) Not Applicable	h. The organization is accountable to donors and other key constituencies and demonstrates its stewardship through annual reports. (E) Don't Know

Question Title

* 3. USING AN OUTSIDE FUNDRAISER -- The following indicators are in regard to ensuring high-quality relationships and services from a professional fundraiser.

	Met	Needs Work	Not Applicable	Don't Know
a. The organization meets the nonprofit standards of the state/provincial charities review council, if one exists. (A)	a. The organization meets the nonprofit standards of the state/provincial charities review council, if one exists. (A) Met	a. The organization meets the nonprofit standards of the state/provincial charities review council, if one exists. (A) Needs Work	a. The organization meets the nonprofit standards of the state/provincial charities review council, if one exists. (A) Not Applicable	a. The organization meets the nonprofit standards of the state/provincial charities review council, if one exists. (A) Don't Know
b. If the organization chooses to use outside professional fundraisers, several competitive bids are solicited. Each prospective outside fundraiser's background and references are checked. (R)	b. If the organization chooses to use outside professional fundraisers, several competitive bids are solicited. Each prospective outside fundraiser's background and references are checked. (R) Met	b. If the organization chooses to use outside professional fundraisers, several competitive bids are solicited. Each prospective outside fundraiser's background and references are checked. (R) Needs Work	b. If the organization chooses to use outside professional fundraisers, several competitive bids are solicited. Each prospective outside fundraiser's background and references are checked. (R) Not Applicable	b. If the organization chooses to use outside professional fundraisers, several competitive bids are solicited. Each prospective outside fundraiser's background and references are checked. (R) Don't Know
c. The organization makes legal, mutual agreed upon, signed statements with outside professional fundraisers, outline each parties' responsibilities and duties, specifying how the contributed funds will be physically handled, and to guarantee that the fees to be paid are reasonable and fair. (E)	c. The organization makes legal, mutual agreed upon, signed statements with outside professional fundraisers, outline each parties' responsibilities and duties, specifying how the contributed funds will be physically handled, and to guarantee that the fees to be paid are reasonable and fair. (E) Met	c. The organization makes legal, mutual agreed upon, signed statements with outside professional fundraisers, outline each parties' responsibilities and duties, specifying how the contributed funds will be physically handled, and to guarantee that the fees to be paid are reasonable and fair. (E) Needs Work	c. The organization makes legal, mutual agreed upon, signed statements with outside professional fundraisers, outline each parties' responsibilities and duties, specifying how the contributed funds will be physically handled, and to guarantee that the fees to be paid are reasonable and fair. (E) Not Applicable	c. The organization makes legal, mutual agreed upon, signed statements with outside professional fundraisers, outline each parties' responsibilities and duties, specifying how the contributed funds will be physically handled, and to guarantee that the fees to be paid are reasonable and fair. (E) Don't Know
d. The organization has verified that the contracted fundraiser is registered as a professional fundraiser with the appropriate government agency and all filings necessary have been made before the work commences. (E)	d. The organization has verified that the contracted fundraiser is registered as a professional fundraiser with the appropriate government agency and all filings necessary have been made before the work commences. (E) Met	d. The organization has verified that the contracted fundraiser is registered as a professional fundraiser with the appropriate government agency and all filings necessary have been made before the work commences. (E) Needs Work	d. The organization has verified that the contracted fundraiser is registered as a professional fundraiser with the appropriate government agency and all filings necessary have been made before the work commences. (E) Not Applicable	d. The organization has verified that the contracted fundraiser is registered as a professional fundraiser with the appropriate government agency and all filings necessary have been made before the work commences. (E) Don't Know
e. The fundraising committee or appropriate representatives from the Board of Directors reviews all prospective proposals with outside professional fundraiser and reviews and accepts all agreements before they are signed. (E)	e. The fundraising committee or appropriate representatives from the Board of Directors reviews all prospective proposals with outside professional fundraiser and reviews and accepts all agreements before they are signed. (E) Met	e. The fundraising committee or appropriate representatives from the Board of Directors reviews all prospective proposals with outside professional fundraiser and reviews and accepts all agreements before they are signed. (E) Needs Work	e. The fundraising committee or appropriate representatives from the Board of Directors reviews all prospective proposals with outside professional fundraiser and reviews and accepts all agreements before they are signed. (E) Not Applicable	e. The fundraising committee or appropriate representatives from the Board of Directors reviews all prospective proposals with outside professional fundraiser and reviews and accepts all agreements before they are signed. (E) Don't Know
f. If the outside professional fundraiser plans to contact potential donors directly, the organization must review the fundraising materials (e.g., public service announcements, print or broadcast advertisements, telemarketing scripts, pledge statements, brochures, letters, etc.) to verify their accuracy and to ensure that the public disclosure requirements have been met. (R)	f. If the outside professional fundraiser plans to contact potential donors directly, the organization must review the fundraising materials (e.g., public service announcements, print or broadcast advertisements, telemarketing scripts, pledge statements, brochures, letters, etc.) to verify their accuracy and to ensure that the public disclosure requirements have been met. (R) Met	f. If the outside professional fundraiser plans to contact potential donors directly, the organization must review the fundraising materials (e.g., public service announcements, print or broadcast advertisements, telemarketing scripts, pledge statements, brochures, letters, etc.) to verify their accuracy and to ensure that the public disclosure requirements have been met. (R) Needs Work	f. If the outside professional fundraiser plans to contact potential donors directly, the organization must review the fundraising materials (e.g., public service announcements, print or broadcast advertisements, telemarketing scripts, pledge statements, brochures, letters, etc.) to verify their accuracy and to ensure that the public disclosure requirements have been met. (R) Not Applicable	f. If the outside professional fundraiser plans to contact potential donors directly, the organization must review the fundraising materials (e.g., public service announcements, print or broadcast advertisements, telemarketing scripts, pledge statements, brochures, letters, etc.) to verify their accuracy and to ensure that the public disclosure requirements have been met. (R) Don't Know
g. The organization properly reports all required information regarding use of outside professional fundraisers, amount of funds raised and the related fundraising expenses as required by federal and state/provincial governments. The gross amount of funds raised by the contracted fundraiser is reported on the organization's financial statement. The fees and costs of the campaign must be reported on the statement of functional expenses. (E)	g. The organization properly reports all required information regarding use of outside professional fundraisers, amount of funds raised and the related fundraising expenses as required by federal and state/provincial governments. The gross amount of funds raised by the contracted fundraiser is reported on the organization's financial statement. The fees and costs of the campaign must be reported on the statement of functional expenses. (E) Met	g. The organization properly reports all required information regarding use of outside professional fundraisers, amount of funds raised and the related fundraising expenses as required by federal and state/provincial governments. The gross amount of funds raised by the contracted fundraiser is reported on the organization's financial statement. The fees and costs of the campaign must be reported on the statement of functional expenses. (E) Needs Work	g. The organization properly reports all required information regarding use of outside professional fundraisers, amount of funds raised and the related fundraising expenses as required by federal and state/provincial governments. The gross amount of funds raised by the contracted fundraiser is reported on the organization's financial statement. The fees and costs of the campaign must be reported on the statement of functional expenses. (E) Not Applicable	g. The organization properly reports all required information regarding use of outside professional fundraisers, amount of funds raised and the related fundraising expenses as required by federal and state/provincial governments. The gross amount of funds raised by the contracted fundraiser is reported on the organization's financial statement. The fees and costs of the campaign must be reported on the statement of functional expenses. (E) Don't Know

Thanks for taking the time to complete this questionnaire! Please review your answers and make any changes you desire.

You might see the Free Management Library's topic about fundraising for advice on improving your practices.

If you're satisfied with your answers, we encourage you to print your completed questionnaire (using the "Print" command in the "File" menu of your internet browser).

When you click on "Done," you will be taken to information about our comprehensive, integrated capacity building services to guide nonprofits through major transitions.