The newest members of the regional leaders team are the endowment/major gifts advisers (E/MGAs). E/MGAs are a resource for major gifts and the Endowment fund. Many E/MGAs have extensive experience raising funds for the Rotary Foundation.
E/MGA Noraseth Pathmanand joined Rotary in 1984 after a classmate at the SASIN Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand asked him to join him for lunch. When he arrived at the hotel, it turned out that lunch was a meeting to organize a new Rotary club – the charter Rotary Club of Bangrak. As much as Noraseth was surprised by the news that he was now a charter member of the Rotary Club of Bangrak, he happily joined the club. 30 years later, he is still active in Rotary.
Noraseth is a strong supporter of the Rotary Foundation and is passionate about raising funds for the Foundation. Noraseth’s fundraising strategy focuses on working with close friends or current supporters of the Rotary Foundation.During his initial solicitation meetings, he highlights the finer points of major gifts andcontributing to the Endowment Fund for the prospective major donor (or prospect) and he shares that he supports the Rotary Foundation for its mission and the work Rotary does in the eradication of polio. He thendetails the different programs and contribution options for the prospect to consider. For example, if a prospect is very passionate about preventing disease, Noraseth may provide more information about making a gift to that area of focus. He also encourages donors to consider different contribution options such as major gifts pledge agreements.
As an E/MGA Noraseth works closely with Rotary staff in Evanston. He develops and sets contribution goals for each year, and provides regular updates to his fund development committee partner. He strongly encourages all endowment/major gifts advisers to lead by example and make their gifts early in the Rotary year.
Learn more about Rotary’s endowment fund, including gifts to the areas of focus, and see the 2014-15 list of regional coordinators and advisers on Rotary.org.
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