Hi Daisy,
In a word, no. The goal of fundraising is relationship building. Ultimately
this will provide all types of support for your institution, including of
course, money. Back to Tim's question, the fundamental difference between a
membership campaign and an annual drive is that in a membership program the
"contribution" is tied to benefits and an annual campaign is not benefits
based. In an annual campaign you look to upgrade a donor based on their
interest in the cause and their capacity for giving. So you can see that a
membership campaign develops a base of constituents/users but an annual
campaign has higher potential for large gifts. Both have their benefits and
many organizations do both. This of course requires a substantial maintenance
effort, and this can be a burden.

Membership can also be a requirement according to the charter in many
museums. There is also a taxability difference. The value of the benefits
provided in a membership may not be deductible, while an annual gift is.

But to the extent that the organization can support the effort, you are
right, the more avenues the better.
Good Luck,
Ralph



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