International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

Fundraising is an organizational function and high-demand occupation unique to nonprofits, or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Although the term fundraising sometimes is used to describe the act of raising capital for for-profit businesses, and fundraising is conducted to finance electoral campaigns for government positions, the function is identified most commonly with raising gifts for charitable nonprofit organizations. Thus, this entry concentrates on what most accurately can be called “philanthropic fundraising.” Simplistically defined, fundraising is the process through which charitable nonprofits generate income in the form of gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Recent developments in research and theory building provide a richer perspective. Scholars and practitioners now subscribe to the principle that fundraising is more about relationships than it is about money. Definitions, such as Kelly's (1998) , have gained increased acceptance: fundraising is the management of relationships between a charitable organization and its donor publics. The new perspective holds that fundraising concentrates on the juncture where the interests of donors and the organization meet. Rather than simply generating indiscriminate income, fundraising is a staff function that counsels senior management on how to most effectively manage environmental interdependencies ... log in or subscribe to read full text