OIA can help you build relationships with individuals who may want to financially support your program or project. Our staff, in particular our Major Gift Officers, are experts in the process of identifying potential supporters and creating relationships that might lead to funding. While we may not have the capacity to fundraise for every project, coordinating your efforts through us will lead to the best results.
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify people who are interested in donating money to my department/program?
Please start by checking with your supervisor, department chair, and/or academic dean, who can streamline requests and identify the current priorities of each unit. After this contact, the next step in the process is usually to meet one-on-one with an OIA gift officer to discuss your project. You can find contact information here.
I have someone in mind who might want to donate. Can I just ask them?
That is great news–congratulations!There are several steps required for each gift so that the donor and the department can receive the full benefits of donations. We can help walk you through this process and make sure it is seamless and positive for your donor. Please contact a gift officer before asking a potential donor for a specific gift.
If I know that someone has donated to my department/program before, can I contact them?
Once someone makes a donation to UMBC, OIA makes sure they are stewarded – that they are properly thanked and receive the correct tax information and follow-up reports. Visit our Thank donors section to learn more about this process. To request a list of donors to your department or program, please contact Donor Relations.