Massachusetts Public Library Trustees Handbook

If your aim is to raise significant funds ($250,000 or more), your board might want to consider hiring a professional fundraiser. This consultant's major role is to help determine the feasibility of raising the funds that the library hopes to achieve. S/he can help board and staff members to understand that only a certain amount of money can be raised at any one time from a specific constituency, and that donors will not support poorly defined objectives.

The professional fundraiser can help establish a fund raising plan and a calendar for achieving the goals, can help with scripting a presentation to major donors, and can coach those people identified to conduct major donor presentations.

While a professional consultant can make a significant contribution to a major fund raising campaign, this person should never be the one to make a final presentation to a potential major donor. People want the personal touch of talking with members of their own community, not a paid consultant. The final decision on whether to hire a professional rests with the board, which should consider all alternatives before hiring a consultant.