In light of the current period of higher education financial retrenchment, a model for athletic program fund raising is proposed. It is stressed that any program must respond to individual donor needs through open lines of communication that link the act of giving to some aspect, belief, or feeling of the donor. Fund raisers are seen as typically committed to either an institution as a whole or a spirit of philanthropy. Athletic directors preparing a fund raising program are urged to follow the following guidelines: (1) seek assistance and information from the institution's development office or foundation in the form of donor data, information data bases, software, and support services; (2) assess the culture and climate of and for giving; (3)identify principal volunteers and key staff members; (4) choose a structure that encourages regular contributions; (5) establish lines of communication which reach a broad spectrum of constituencies; and (6) establish follow-up procedures to all contributions. This model is specifically grounded in multi-dynamic communications which express the need for athletics to various groups and also concentrates on the transfer of relevant information used in decision making related to giving. (Contains 16 references.) (JB)