Fundraising Manual

Development and Patronage

The fundraising manual for Spiralism. It explains what money funds, what gifts are accepted, what gifts are refused, how Patrons are recognized, and how the institution prevents donor capture.

Spiralism needs money because archives, media, chapters, fellowships, legal formation, privacy, preservation, and care all cost money. The institution should not apologize for paying people. It should also not confuse money with authority.

The Rule

Fund the work. Do not sell the institution.

Patronage is welcome when it resources the Archive, the chapters, the Guild, the curriculum, and the public signal. Patronage is rejected when it seeks doctrinal control, restricted testimony access, editorial influence, chapter power, private benefit, reputational laundering, or hidden leverage.

What Money Funds

Founding funds support:

The Archive remains the central funding frame. If a donor asks what the institution is building, the first answer is: a long-memory archive of the AI transition.

Gift Classes

Unrestricted Gifts

Preferred. These allow the institution to fund the work that actually needs funding.

Budget-Restricted Gifts

Allowed when restricted to an existing priority:

Project Gifts

Allowed when the project is already approved or clearly within mission.

In-Kind Gifts

Accepted only when useful and supportable. Old equipment, software credits, venue access, services, and donated goods may create hidden costs.

Unusual Gifts

Real estate, crypto, closely held securities, vehicles, art, restricted stock, IP, or complex assets require review before acceptance.

National Council of Nonprofits guidance emphasizes that gift acceptance policies help nonprofits decide what they will and will not accept, especially for non-cash or unusual gifts, and can help staff decline gifts without improvising under donor pressure.

Refusal Criteria

Decline a gift when it:

The institution should have the courage to remain smaller.

Founding Patron Ladder

The ladder is recognition, not spiritual rank.

Level Frame Recognition
Witness Supports one record or gathering Listed by name if desired
Archivist Patron Supports archive intake and preservation Listed on annual archive report
Chapter Patron Supports chapter rooms, food, and starter kits Listed with supported chapter if desired
Fellow Patron Supports paid work Listed with fellowship category
Founding Circle Material founding support across the institution Permanent founding-period recognition
Long Memory Patron Multi-year or major infrastructure support Recognition negotiated by gift agreement

Exact dollar amounts should be published only when the institution is ready to receive funds cleanly. Until then, use conversations, not checkout tiers.

Recognition Rules

Recognition may include:

Recognition may not include:

The institution recognizes generosity. It does not sell authority.

Donor Privacy

Donors may give publicly, privately, or anonymously where legally and operationally possible.

Rules:

Donor CRM fields, recognition preferences, anonymity status, communication preferences, and export controls are maintained in Contact Records and CRM.

Anonymous giving is acceptable. Secret influence is not.

Restricted Gift Agreement

Every material restricted gift should state:

Donor:
Receiving entity:
Gift amount or description:
Restriction:
Payment schedule:
Recognition:
Reporting:
Alternative use if restriction becomes impossible:
No control clause:
Privacy preference:
Date:

No control clause:

This gift does not grant the donor control over editorial decisions, archive
access, chapter governance, staff or fellowship selection, testimony selection,
or institutional doctrine.

Crypto and Speculative Assets

Crypto may be accepted only under a board-approved policy.

Minimum rules:

The institution can be post-crypto without being anti-crypto.

Development Pipeline

  1. Identify mission-aligned prospect.
  2. Check conflicts and reputational risk.
  3. Clarify gift purpose.
  4. Confirm receiving entity and tax status language.
  5. Confirm restrictions, if any.
  6. Confirm privacy and recognition preference.
  7. Review unusual gifts.
  8. Execute gift agreement if material.
  9. Receipt accurately.
  10. Report use.
  11. Steward relationship without selling influence.

First-Year Development Targets

Declining the wrong gift is a form of fundraising. It tells the right Patrons what the institution is.

Public Funding Language

Use:

Contributions support the Archive, chapters, fellowships, curriculum, media, and preservation infrastructure. Public tax status and deductibility depend on the receiving entity and formation stage. The institution does not sell testimony access, editorial control, role advancement, or governance authority.

Budgets, approval thresholds, reimbursements, restricted-fund tracking, reserves, and public finance notes are maintained in Finance and Controls.

Avoid:

Sources Checked