Fundraising for Scholarship, Leadership, and Housing
Fundraising can do more for your chapter than bring in money for the chapter's specific scholarship,
leadership and housing funds. If done well, it will also build strong relationships with alumni who are
currently involved and engage new alumni, parents, and friends with the chapter.
The following goals are consistent across chapters with strong fundraising programs.
Goals
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To involve alumni, parents, and friends with the undergraduate chapter
To provide the chapter with resources it can use to enhance the personal development of its members
To provide alumni with a tax-deductible investment program while helping the chapter build its
resources fund at the same time
To build a chapter scholarship fund that will be a growing resource for the chapter in perpetuity
Steps
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Communicate with alumni regularly and help them connect with each other. While undergraduates
should be involved, the chapter's alumni corporation should be responsible for the communication
program and find a volunteer to drive it.
o Have a chapter newsletter published at least twice a year. This is a must! No one wants to give
to an organization they know nothing about or to an organization where they feel disconnected.
You should also have a web presence for posting current events, news and pictures.
 Focus on alumni news. At least 70% of the newsletter should be devoted to news
relevant to and about alumni -- features, short bios and information regarding alumni
events.
 20% of the news should be about major chapter endeavors, featuring chapter academic
achievements, SigEp campus leaders, community service, and intramural success.
 Use the other 10% of the newsletter to publicize relevant university news.
 In each newsletter include an explanation of and progress report for the chapter's
fund(s) in the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation, as well as how to make a
donation (if just starting up an alumni newsletter, keep “the ask” out of the first two).
o The website should simply communicate information about events, major news, how to update
contact information, recommend a man for recruitment and make a donation.
o Sponsor regular alumni events. Hold events around major chapter anniversaries and/or
significant chapter or campus events. Annual reunions should be held to bring together smaller
peer groups.
 Give plenty of notice to alumni to schedule events.
 Ensure events are of the quality alumni expect and reflect the best of the organization.
 Alumni and their families and friends drop by campus for a variety of occasions. Make
sure the chapter facility is always presentable and that the members meet and greet all
guests appropriately.
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Ask for gifts in a coordinated, professional and purposeful manner.
o Assign fundraising responsibilities to a well-qualified member of the alumni corporation.
o Be clear about the purpose for all funds for which you are soliciting.
o Ensure all materials and presentations used for solicitation are professional.
o Acknowledge all gifts in a timely and courteous manner.
o Ask regularly, not just when there is a pressing need.
o Start early -- graduating seniors are the most familiar with the benefits of gifts and may be the
most willing to give back, setting the pace for all alumni.
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Identify one alumnus from each class year as a key alumnus or class "captain” and ask him to
become informed, make his commitment to the fund of his choice, and then ask his peers to do
the same. People give to people.
Work with a professional fundraising service provider to conduct any significant campaign
beyond your annual campaign.
Handling Gifts
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Gifts should be made to the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation earmarked for the appropriate
chapter fund (online:
https://secure3.convio.net/sigep/site/Donation2?1461.donation=form1&df_id=1461&JServSessionIdr004=pp4s
vo8ze2.app339a).
Gifts to the Foundation are acknowledged with a tax receipt. The pledge is acknowledged by a letter
and entered in your chapter’s file. As pledge payments are made, the gifts are deposited in the
appropriate chapter fund with the Foundation.
Gifts are deposited in the chapter fund indicated. The fund is invested in the Foundation’s
professionally managed Pooled Investment Fund. These gifts accumulate as endowed funds to provide
an annual return that provides income for making scholarship and leadership awards for the chapter.
Note: If an alumnus makes a gift to your chapter scholarship fund by check and mails or gives it to you, DO
NOT cash the check. Send the check to the Foundation. If you cash the check locally, the Sigma Phi Epsilon
Educational Foundation is not able to issue a tax receipt to the donor.