Fundraising Policy

1 - Purpose

The purpose of the Fundraising Policy is intended to guide United Way Centraide Canada (UWCC) in the creation of a fundraising strategy to diversify revenues that supplement Membership dues and support UWCC’s mandate to lead Network-wide priorities.

2 - Scope

The Fundraising Policy applies to UWCC employees, Board members and volunteers.

3 - Statement

UWCC is accountable to its Members to monitor and assess pan-Canadian fundraising risk and share relevant information with Members. This responsibility allows UWCC to provide effective oversight, risk management and communications to the UWCC Board and United Way Centraide (UWC) members.

UWCC strives to work collaboratively with Members on all aspects of fundraising using a Key Account Management (KAM) approach to assessing and monitoring this risk.

This Fundraising Policy addresses the principles and protocols that guide UWCC’s relationship with its Members when fundraising.

4 - Responsibility

The UWCC Board of Directors is responsible for approving the Fundraising Policy that provides the framework for UWCC staff to develop a fundraising strategy that supports UWCC revenue diversification.

The President and CEO (CEO), the Executive Team, and all UWCC employees are responsible for adhering to the Fundraising Policy. The Vice-President, Fundraising & Partnerships is the Executive Champion responsible for developing, maintaining, monitoring and implementing this policy.

5 - Policy and Procedure

Guiding Principles:

  1. UWCC will work in the best interest of the Network and in collaboration with UWCs on communications and interactions with donors and partners that have an existing relationship with the local or host UWC.
  2. UWCC may approach any fundraising prospect where there is no known current relationship.
  3. UWCC may approach any fundraising prospect in an area not served by a UWC based on UWCC’s allocation of postal codes.
  4. Prospects will fall into four main categories: Corporations, Foundations, Individuals, and Government:
    1. For Corporations, UWCC respects and supports the concept of the main corporate relationships residing with the host UWC. Cultivation and solicitation for UWCC funding or Network-wide initiatives will be done with the knowledge of and, where possible, in collaboration with a host UWC.
    2. For Foundations, UWCC will identify prospects that have a pan-Canadian approach to their philanthropy. Where there is a known current relationship with a local UWC, UWCC will advise the local UWC of its approach.
    3. For Individuals, UWCC will identify prospects that have a pan-Canadian approach to their philanthropy. Cultivation and solicitation for UWCC funding or Network-wide initiatives will be done with the knowledge of and, where possible, in collaboration with a host UWC.
    4. For Federal Government, UWCC is the pre-eminent relationship holder of the relationship with all federal organizations and will identify and approach prospects within this structure that support pan-Canadian projects or programs.
    5. The Guiding Principles will be applied to other constituents not mentioned above.
  5. UWCC will manage the Key Account Management (KAM) process and maintain the systems to steward top accounts in collaboration with the Network. UWCC may intervene where there is significant Network-wide risk with key donors, corporate partnerships, foundations or government.

6. Protocols

  1. Once prospects for Network-wide initiatives are identified, UWCC will:
    1. Identify any alignment of the prospect with the local UWC;
    2. Contact the UWC to review their existing relationship with the prospect
      • If a relationship exists between the prospect and the local UWC, UWCC will adhere to the Guiding Principles as it develops its approach for solicitation.

7 - Footnotes

  1. Primary Audience: Board Members, UWCC employees
  2. Approver: Board of Directors
  3. Frequency: 3 years
  4. Reviewer: Governance Committee

Review Process

  1. Approval date: April 13, 2023
  2. Effective date: April 13
  3. Frequency: 3 years