Solicitations and Events

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A major function of the SIU Foundation is to raise private support.  Each college/division has an assigned development officer who assists their assigned college in fundraising efforts.  See the staff page to find your college/division’s development officer.

In addition, the Foundation has central staff who are assigned the task of annual giving, which includes direct mail and special events.  Central staff review all solicitations to ensure you have selected the proper audience (through the Information Request process), have a compelling action to give (Solicitation Request process) and are within IRS guidelines (Solicitation with Premium and Event Approval process)

List of participants

The first step in the solicitation process is to determine your audience.  It is important these entities have an affiliation to your call for private support.  If you need a mailing list for a direct mail, email blast, or an event, the Foundation is willing to assist you with this task.  Please submit your request through the link below:

Direct Mail, E-mail Blast, and other mass solicitation

Direct mail is an effective solicitation tool.  Once you have determined your audience, you will draft the solicitation you wish to send.  Your assigned college/division development officer can assist you with this process.  If you do not have a development officer assigned to your college/division, again we have central staff that can assist.  After you have drafted your solicitation piece, please attached it as part of the online Solicitation and Event Registration Request Form.

Note it is important to have your Dean/Division Head sign off on this request.  These administrators have worked with the Chancellor in determining the fundraising priorities for the college/division.

If your solicitation has any goods or services which the donor might receive, please complete the Solicitation with Premium Form and attach it with other forms using the online Solicitation and Event Registration Request Form. If you would like to provide the donor with an option to pay their commitment over a period of not more than 5 years, please add pledge wording to your solicitation.  See Solicitation with Pledge Templates for suggested wording.

Once your solicitation is approved, the Foundation will provide you with coding to be added at the bottom of your solicitation piece which is essential for the efficient processing of responses to your solicitation.

Special Events

Special Events are effective in bringing a community of individuals together interested in your cause, but this type of solicitation usually does not yield large net revenues to your area.  Prior to considering holding a special event, please determine if you have a staff member available to support this activity.  Please consult your college/division’s development officer.  Below are the forms needed for approval of your event.

Once your special Event is approved, the Foundation will provide you with coding to be added at the bottom of your invitation which is essential for the efficient processing of responses to your invitation.