Fundraising best practices among selected Christian Universities in Southern California

Christian education is a very important tool of transformational change. There are more and more students interested in advancing their academic studies but the cost of education is a limitation to many. University Advancement Departments raise funds that are used for this purpose and other projects. Fundraising, just like any other profession, is changing very drastically. There is increased competition for donor dollars while the economic times are tough. Today donors are more enlightened about fundraising and there are many other worthwhile projects that demand donor support besides higher education. The advancement departments must develop strategies that will be competitive and meet donor needs. This study presents some of the fundraising best practices that advancement departments of universities can use for efficiency based on their core competencies. The survey was conducted among seven selected Christian Universities in southern California. Fundraising for Christian universities is very competitive and it involves many parameters for success. The commitment of top leadership, resources and experienced and qualified staff are very important. It takes money to raise money. It also requires donor research and keeping update records of donors. Alumni form a crucial component of the donors and there is need to keep them informed of all the goes on in the university. The study reveals that planning is very important as it serves as a measure of progress and as a management tool