We’re so glad you asked! Raising funds for CRLA takes effort from everyone in the organization, so the answer is yes! But there are a few rules and best practices to follow.

Check with Development first! First, before you request any kind of donation – whether it is food for an office event or a local mini-grant, check in with the Resource Development team (email developmentsupport@crla.org). It’s critical that the Development staff knows about planned gift or grant solicitations for several reasons. We have a board-approved Gift Acceptance Policy that we must follow. We also have internal best-practices regarding gift solicitations. For example, we don’t go for grants that are too small to justify their administrative burden, and we run conflict checks to make sure we aren’t seeking funds from a current adverse party. Development staff can help navigate regulations and even help you draft formal request letters and offer other supports.

What if someone wants to give you a check or a cash donation? Yes, that’s wonderful! Thank the donor and accept the gift. If possible, be sure to get the name and mailing address or email address of the donor. Then immediately email developmentsupport@crla.org to let the Development Team know. We carefully track every gift, and we want to be sure we properly thank the donor. Donations of checks or cash should be handled like any other payment received at an office.

What about an item or service? Yes, if someone wants to donate an item or service that your office needs, that’s great! Please thank the donor and be sure to complete the In-Kind Donation Form, so that Development staff can send a formal thank you letter. It’s really helpful if you provide specific details about the donation when you complete the form. If you have any questions or concerns about whether we are able to accept an item, please reach out to developmentsupport@crla.org (it doesn’t happen often, but there are some in-kind donations we can’t accept or that need special approval).

What about gifts from clients? Please don’t ask clients for donations. While office staff are encouraged to seek donations from the community, we do have a policy that we never request payment or ask clients directly for donations. However, if a client asks you if they can make a donation, that is fine, and we deeply appreciate every contribution no matter the size.