Development Committee Primer

San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee, Inc.

Committee Structure & Authority

The Development Committee is one of the standing Board Committees of San Francisco Pride.

Reference: 2.2 Committee Structure, lines 42-43

Key Points:

Committee chairs are appointed by a vote of their respective committee members at the first committee meeting following the October Board meeting
All Board committees’ authority is limited by the Bylaws (Article 7, Section 1)
Only Board directors may serve as committee members

Core Responsibility

Identifying New Funding Opportunities

The Development Committee is responsible for identifying new funding opportunities for the corporation.

Primary Focus:

Research potential funding sources
Cultivate donor relationships
Explore grant opportunities
Develop sponsorship strategies
Identify earned revenue opportunities

Reference: 2.2 Committee Structure, lines 42-43

Key Funding Streams

1. Individual Donations

Major Gifts:

Identify potential major donors
Cultivate relationships with high-capacity individuals
Develop proposals for significant contributions
Steward major gift relationships

Annual Fund:

Plan annual giving campaigns
Develop donor acquisition strategies
Create donor retention programs
Implement online giving platforms

Planned Giving:

Educate about legacy giving options
Develop bequest programs
Explore charitable gift annuities
Create endowment opportunities

2. Corporate Sponsorships

Pride Celebration Sponsors:

Identify potential corporate sponsors
Develop sponsorship packages and benefits
Cultivate corporate relationships
Ensure sponsor value and ROI

Year-Round Partnerships:

Explore ongoing corporate partnerships
Develop cause marketing opportunities
Create employee engagement programs
Build multi-year commitments

3. Foundation & Grant Funding

Foundation Grants:

Research foundation funding priorities
Identify aligned funding opportunities
Support grant proposal development
Report on grant outcomes

Government Grants:

Monitor public funding opportunities
Assess eligibility for government grants
Support application processes
Ensure compliance with grant requirements

4. Earned Revenue

Merchandise & Licensing:

Explore Pride merchandise opportunities
Develop licensing agreements
Create revenue-generating products

Event Revenue:

Optimize parade fees and vendor fees
Explore ticketed event opportunities
Develop VIP experiences
Create premium offerings

Rentals & Services:

Identify asset utilization opportunities
Explore service-based revenue
Develop partnership programs

Development Strategy

Diversification

Ensure funding comes from multiple sources to reduce risk:

Balance individual, corporate, and institutional funding
Mix restricted and unrestricted revenue
Develop sustainable, recurring revenue streams
Avoid over-dependence on any single source

Stewardship

Build lasting relationships with funders:

Acknowledge contributions promptly and meaningfully
Report on impact of donations
Engage donors in organizational life
Cultivate long-term partnerships

Alignment with Mission

Ensure all fundraising aligns with organizational values:

Screen potential funders for values alignment
Decline funding that compromises mission
Maintain ethical fundraising practices
Prioritize LGBTQ+ affirming partnerships

Working with Staff

Staff Roles

The committee works collaboratively with:

Executive Director: Strategic funding direction
Development Staff (if applicable): Day-to-day fundraising execution
Finance Staff: Revenue tracking and reporting
Communications Staff: Donor communications and collateral

Committee vs. Staff Responsibilities

Committee Responsibilities:

Strategic planning for development
High-level donor cultivation
Board giving leadership
Major gift solicitation
Peer-to-peer connections

Staff Responsibilities:

Operational fundraising execution
Database management
Grant writing and reporting
Donor communications
Event logistics

Board Giving

Board Member Expectations

While not always formally required, board member giving demonstrates commitment:

Give: Personal financial contribution at a meaningful level
Get: Help secure gifts from others
Or Get Off: Full engagement expected

Leadership by Example

Board members should:

Make annual personal contributions
Participate in fundraising events
Make introductions to potential donors
Serve as ambassadors for the organization
Share their own stories of why they give

Ethical Fundraising

Donor Privacy

Respect donor privacy and preferences:

Maintain confidentiality of donor information
Honor anonymity requests
Protect donor data
Comply with privacy regulations

Transparency

Be transparent about:

How funds will be used
Organizational financials
Impact of donations
Administrative costs

Gift Acceptance

The committee should help establish policies for:

Acceptable sources of funding
Restricted vs. unrestricted gifts
In-kind donations
Planned gifts
Stock and property donations

Relevant Policies

Grants Guidelines

Understanding the organization’s approach to grants management:

Reference: C.10 Grants Guidelines

Corporate Participation

Policies governing corporate partnerships and sponsorships:

Reference: B.07 Corporate Participation

Fundraising Tools & Tactics

Donor Database

Maintain comprehensive donor information:

Contact details and giving history
Communication preferences
Relationship notes and cultivation status
Acknowledgment tracking

Fundraising Events

Plan and execute fundraising events:

Annual gala or benefit
Pride week fundraising activities
Virtual fundraising campaigns
Community fundraising events

Digital Fundraising

Leverage online platforms:

Website donation pages
Social media fundraising
Email campaigns
Peer-to-peer fundraising platforms
Giving Tuesday campaigns

Direct Mail

Traditional but effective:

Annual appeal letters
Event invitations
Year-end giving campaigns
Thank you communications

Measuring Success

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Track development progress:

Total revenue raised
Number of donors (new and retained)
Average gift size
Donor retention rate
Cost per dollar raised
Major gifts secured
Grant funding obtained
Corporate sponsorship revenue

Benchmarking

Compare performance to:

Prior years
Similar organizations
Industry standards
Strategic goals

First Committee Meeting

At the first committee meeting following the October Board meeting, the committee should:

1. Chair Election

Elect committee chair by vote of committee members

2. Organizational Matters

Review committee scope and responsibilities
Discuss meeting schedule for the year ahead
Submit annual meeting calendar to staff by January 1

3. Prior Year Review

Review prior fiscal year fundraising results (ended Sept 30)
Analyze what worked and what didn’t
Identify lessons learned

4. Annual Goals Setting

Set development goals for new fiscal year
Establish revenue targets by funding stream
Define success metrics and KPIs

5. Strategic Planning

Plan year’s major campaigns and events
Identify major gift prospects to cultivate
Discuss grant opportunities and deadlines
Assign committee member responsibilities

Suggested Meeting Cadence

Recommended Frequency: Monthly or Bi-Monthly

Rationale:

Fundraising requires consistent momentum
Donor cultivation is ongoing
Grant deadlines occur throughout the year
Campaign planning requires regular coordination
Board giving participation benefits from regular engagement

Meeting Duration: 60-90 minutes

Quarterly Deep Dives: Consider longer quarterly strategic sessions (2-3 hours) to:

Review quarterly performance against goals
Plan next quarter’s activities
Conduct prospect pipeline reviews
Develop major gift strategies

Meeting Schedule Considerations:

More frequent meetings during campaign seasons (e.g., year-end appeal)
May coordinate meetings with Budget & Finance to align on revenue projections -Schedule ahead of Pride (May-June) for finalizing sponsorships

Annual Development Cycle

Q1 (January-March)

Review prior year fundraising results
Set annual development goals
Plan year’s campaigns and events
Cultivate major gift prospects

Q2 (April-June)

Execute spring fundraising activities
Pride sponsorship finalization
Grant applications for fall deadlines
Mid-year donor stewardship

Q3 (July-September)

Pride week fundraising execution
Post-Pride donor thanking
Grant reporting
Year-end campaign planning

Q4 (October-December)

Year-end appeal execution
Major gift solicitations
Giving Tuesday campaign
Annual fundraising reconciliation

Key Deadlines:

January 1: Annual meeting calendar due to staff
Varies: Grant application deadlines (monitor throughout year)
Late November/Early December: Giving Tuesday
December 31: Year-end giving deadline for donors

Reference: Annual Timeline

Key Documents to Review

2.2 Committee Structure - Committee scope
C.10 Grants Guidelines - Grant policies
B.07 Corporate Participation - Corporate partnership policies
B.02 Conflicts of Interest - Avoid conflicts in donor relations

Document Prepared: January 4, 2026