Gifts: Solicitation, Acceptance, and Management

Cerro Coso Community College appreciates and depends upon the generosity of alumni and friends to support its mission, programs, and purposes. Gifts must be solicited, accepted, processed, recorded, and acknowledged in a manner that protects the interests of both the institution and its donors.

Planning and coordination are essential to successful fundraising efforts and for avoiding duplication in approaching potential donors in the name of the College.

Responsibility for the coordination of all fundraising programs and solicitations of private support from individuals, foundations, businesses, corporations, and organizations rest with the Office of Institutional Advancement. Solicitation of private contributions and gifts-in-kind made by anyone for the benefit of Cerro Coso Community College requires coordination with the Director of Institutional Advancement.

The intent of these protocols is to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of fundraising programs and to avoid confusion on the part of donors and prospective donors.

Purpose

To implement professional best practices of gift solicitation and management that meet college philanthropic objectives and ensure a positive donor experience.

Scope

Applies to all gift solicitations.

Responsibility: Director for Institutional Advancement

Philosophy

Cerro Coso Community College uses a systematic and strategic approach to fundraising efforts to secure private gift funding from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other organizations. This approach is coordinated through the Office of Institutional Advancement to maximize philanthropic support and ensure these resources support the College’s priorities. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators are to work as partners with the Office of Institutional Advancement in fundraising for the College and are encouraged to attract private gift support.

Solicitation

1. Responsibility: Management and coordination of solicitation of gifts is centralized in Institutional Advancement.
2. Authorization for Solicitation: Central administrators (President, Vice Presidents, Athletic Director, and Institutional Advancement officers) and Deans may solicit or otherwise negotiate gifts for their particular project, unit or college.
3. Consultation and Coordination: Before soliciting any gift or undertaking, any fundraising activities on behalf of Cerro Coso Community College or subunit thereof, all employees should consult with the Director of Institutional Advancement and follow established prospect coordination and approval protocols.

Management

1. Most gifts to the college are received and managed by the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation.
   1. It is the responsibility of the Office of Institutional Advancement to determine if gifts of cash, securities, and real estate shall be received by the College or the Foundation.
   2. All gifts are reviewed for the following considerations:
      • Gifts are appropriate to the mission and needs of the college;
      • Gifts impose no undue financial burden on the college;
      • Gifts in general comply with all legal and financial standards; if restricted, the donor’s terms are reasonably broad and flexible to maximize their usefulness to the college; and the donor permits the college to apply the gift to a related purpose in the event that the designated purpose is no longer practical, necessary, or able to be performed.
   3. The Office of Institutional Advancement is responsible for receiving and recording all donations.
   4. Financial reporting of gifts shall be managed by the Office of Institutional Advancement and Business Services.
2. Services of College Advancement:
   1. Leadership and implementation of fundraising efforts in support of the College’s mission and priorities including annual giving, major gift, principal gift, planned gift, and campaign efforts.
   2. Prospect coordination, research, and analytics.
   3. Donor and alumni communications.
   4. Planning and implementation of strategic donor and alumni-focused events.
   5. Strategic cultivation of alumni and donor relationships for the purposes of engagement with and support of the College.
   6. Donor stewardship and recognition.

How to contact us

Tera Moorehead
Director of Communications and Community Relations
(760) 384-6260
tera.moorehead@cerrocoso.edu