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Gifts and Contributions to LAMA

Over the years, LAMA's programming activities have been enhanced
through the generosity of many organizations that have contributed
money and other support.  The Fund for America's Libraries Manual
contains a set of policies on "Gifts and Contributions" in order to
ensure effective coordination of appeals for funds from all ALA
units.

It is expected that ALA units will assume primary responsibility
for funding those programs and services that are usually supported
by members' dues.  Gifts and contributions represent additional
sources of support for special projects and activities.  Knowledge
of the extent of these additional sources is important when trying
to understand the full cost of undertaking any activities.

All fundraising requests to outside agencies that are initiated by
staff and members should be reported in writing, in advance of the
solicitation, to the Executive Director of LAMA who will forward it
to the Fund for American Libraries. The Fund will maintain a record
of all solicitations, contributions and gifts received and prepare
appropriate acknowledgments. All contributions and gifts to ALA in
excess of $250.00 will receive a letter of thanks from the ALA
Executive Director.

These steps must be followed:

A.   Any LAMA committee intending to solicit funds or other
     contributions to support a LAMA program or activity will
     advise the LAMA Executive Director of this intent as early as
     possible. Although the initial discussion may be oral, there
     should be a written statement that specifies 1) the activity
     for which funds or other contributions are being solicited; 2)
     the amount of funds or other contributions being solicited;
     and 3) the probable list of donors, with contact names.

B.   The LAMA Executive Director will report this fundraising
     intention to the Fund Executive Director, with a request to
     advise promptly if there is any reason not to continue as
     planned.

C.   The LAMA Executive Director will report to the committee when
     clearance has been given to proceed and will remind the
     fundraiser that all contributions should be made payable to
     the "American Library Association" and sent in a non-window
     envelope to the LAMA Executive Director.

D.   The fundraiser will be responsible for all contacts with the
     donor. The LAMA Office has the ability to provide an invoice
     that does not become part of the ALA Accounts Receivable
     system in order to assist a donor in processing a
     contribution, if necessary.

E.   As contributions are received in the LAMA Office, the LAMA
     Executive Director will acknowledge them promptly with a
     letter of thanks, with a copy to the fundraiser.  ALA's
     contribution processing form will be used for processing the
     check, to ensure the gift is properly recorded and
     acknowledged for ALA's donor records.  Contributions will be
     posted to the appropriate account promptly.

F.   Records will be maintained by the LAMA Office in order to
     enable annual reports of contributors to LAMA events.

Note: If a solicitation for funds greater than $5,000 for any one
event is intended, prior approval of the ALA Executive Director is
required, and the proposal is sent out by the ALA Executive
Director.  Please consult the LAMA Executive Director before
approaching any outside agency.

"In-kind" contributions.  Most donations to LAMA are cash. From
time to time, however, an organization will wish to make an
"in-kind" contribution. These include, but are not limited to,
goods and services which are an integral part of the event and for
which LAMA would have to pay if they were not otherwise provided.
For example, a bookdealer might offer to supply notebooks for
handouts imprinted with both the title of the event and their logo,
library supply vendor might offer to distribute hats and T-shirts
at the LAMA social, a publisher might offer to print and mail a
survey, or a library might donate the photocopying of all the
handouts for a program. Such contributions are valuable to LAMA and
must be acknowledged as if they were cash.  Therefore, the same
rules apply and the previously mentioned steps should be followed.

Because use of the ALA and LAMA names must be protected, it is
important that arrangements for execution of "in-kind"
contributions involving the ALA or LAMA name and logo be made in
full communication with the LAMA office.