Chapter 12: Fund Raising

The Development Office is responsible for coordinating all fund raising in the private sector, with the exception of private contract grants. Support is sought from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other private sources. All efforts to seek philanthropic support from these sources must be approved by, and coordinated through, the Development Office.

Each of the University’s schools, the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, and the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies have a development officer to coordinate and direct the development program. These officers provide access to general services within the Development Office, including research, proposal writing, recording and acknowledging gifts, and assistance with corporate and foundation relations.

Faculty members who wish to seek non-contract funding from the private sector should do the following:

1. prepare a brief written summary of the program or project for which funding is needed and include an estimate of budget or item costs.
2. obtain approval of the project from the appropriate department chair.
3. obtain approval from the appropriate Dean.
4. seek approval of the budget from the Office of Sponsored Research.
5. consult the development officer of the school for approval to approach the specific prospect or prospects, suggestions of appropriate prospects for the project, assistance in proposal writing, or other services that may be required.
6. send copies of proposals, correspondence, and other relevant documents to the school development officer. The development officer will place these documents in permanent central files for future reference.

From time to time, faculty members receive checks that are gifts to University programs. Checks and relevant correspondence should be delivered promptly to the Gift Records Office, 301 University Plaza. This will ensure proper crediting of the monies on both the Gift and University accounting systems. It will also initiate acknowledgments by University officers as appropriate.