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Fundraising and Development

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Fundraising and Development

On-Demand Fundraising and Development Training

  • Fundraising Policies: Gift Acceptance, Ethics, and Tainted Money (January 2022): Should your nonprofit accept every gift that comes its way? It's hard to say no thank you! to donors, but sometimes...that's the more prudent path. There are some kinds of gifts that your nonprofit simply may not want to - or should not – accept with some gifts resulting in more hassle and expense than benefit. This is where a well-considered "gift acceptance policy" can be of help. A written gift acceptance policy can help manage the expectations of donors and serve as guidance for board and staff members who are either on the asking or receiving end of contributions. The most significant reasons to adopt a gift acceptance policy include:
    • Accepting some types of gifts may run counter to the nonprofit's values - so a gift acceptance policy can be useful to underscore why the nonprofit cannot accept the gift.
    • Some gifts may lead to legal obligations that the nonprofit is not otherwise ready to handle. Example: Gifts of real property may raise property tax issues; gifts of motor vehicles or boats may raise issues about disposal of hazardous waste or licensing issues.
    • The nonprofit may simply not be equipped to either use or dispose of certain types of gifts (such as donations of outdated computers) or easily maintain. (Imagine receiving a gift of a race horse!)
    • Having a gift acceptance policy in place is considered a "best practice" from multiple perspectives - whether relating to relationships with donors, or managing the nonprofit's own risks. The IRS Form 990 asks whether a nonprofit has a “gift acceptance policy” and requires nonprofits that respond “Yes” to complete Schedule M, as well as report any non-cash contributions/in-kind gifts.

Why Watch

You never know when an unusual gift will arrive. Having a written policy that is adopted by the board will help expedite a process that otherwise might be delayed, and provides volunteers and staff with a consistent way to handle unanticipated and unusual situations. A policy also de-personalizes the situation for staff members on the front-line of receiving an unusual gift who may be in the awkward position of explaining to a donor that the nonprofit will not automatically accept the donor's gift. PowerPoint, Code of Ethics - AFP, Gift Acceptance Policies - National Council of Nonprofits, How to Create Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policies - Bloomerang, What is a gift acceptance policy? Where can I find examples? - Candid Learning, The UNA Standards of Ethics tool is structured as a survey questionnaire covering ten (10) areas of focus, including assessing components of your fundraising and development. Learn more here.

  • Grant Sourcing Made Easy (and FREE): To secure grants, you need the most up-to-date, complete information you can get about grant makers and available grants. Learn how you can access invaluable funding opportunities for FREE through the Funding Information Network program with the Salt Lake City Library.


  • Cut Costs and Get Creative with Nonprofit Appeals (July 2021): Fundraising, as we know it, has shifted in these uncertain times. But that doesn't mean we should stop asking for support, it just means getting creative and finding ways to cut costs and find ways to innovate. 




  • Online Fundraising Discussion with Devin Thorpe (2020): Where are you taking your fundraising plans? Many throughout the country are moving their fundraising plans online and UNA partnered with Devin Thorpe, crowdfunding professional, to provide a review of best practices for online fundraising strategies.

2020 UNA Nonprofit Conference

  • Major Gifts Minimum Anxiety: Major gifts are all about building and strengthening relationships. Learn why this is a smart fundraising strategy, what systems will help you manage your major gifts program, and how to build your pipeline. Partnerships in this work are crucial and we'll talk about what works well. Overcome your fear of the "ask" by being prepared for it. Get excited to put the most practical pieces in place as you start, or strengthen, your major gifts program. Presented by Courtney Garay, Development Director, University of Utah Health Sciences; LeAnn Saldivar, Chief Professional Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake; Julie DeLong, Managing Partner, Pathway Associates


  • We are collaborative!: In an era of reduced funding and increased expectations, nonprofits must be more strategic and efficient. Collaboration is key to both of those attributes and many grants and funding sources now require it. This session will address creating collaborations that work and collaborative grant writing. Presented by Shirlee Draper, Operations Director, Cherish Families and Richard Bennett, PhD, PA-C, Associate Program Director/Associate Professor, University of Utah Division of Physician Assistant Studies

From Subject Matter Experts



  • Proposal Writing—What the Pros Know (GrantStation training recorded 1-19-21): webinar will give you a comprehensive introduction to proposal writing, outline what should be included in each proposal component, and help you steer clear of the most common pitfalls. In this webinar, Amanda Pearce of Funding for Good, Inc., reviews the questions you need to answer prior to searching and applying for grant funds, outline the seven basic elements of most proposals, and show you how to match your needs to funder priorities.


  • How to Prepare a Grants Strategy During Uncertain Times from Bloomerang: Rachel Werner will review what tried and true methods still have value, what might need to be changed, and what is still left unknown. You can start off 2021 with a better sense of how to be successful during times of uncertainty.


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