• : an amount of money that is used for a special purpose

• funds : available money

• : an amount of something that is available for use : a supply of something

(“Fund.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.)

So, then, an “Annual Fund” is an amount of money that is used for a special purpose happening over the course of a year.

If your fiscal year is July 1 – June 30, does your mission end at 11:59:59 on June 30 and start again at 12:00:00 on July 1?  Is there a split second when that mission is fulfilled and then starts again?

From the organizational perspective, yes, we can say that “Last year the annual fund raised $500,000 and hit goal!” But from a donor-centered perspective, the “annual fund” is ongoing and never-ending.  An annual fund donor is supporting the heart of the mission, the very reason for its existence.  And that’s not just a one-year thing.

Sure, “General Operating Support” isn’t sexy.  Neither is “annual fund.”  But if your mission doesn’t end, neither does your annual fund.