Drawing from the experiences of Edison Community College in Florida, this paper offers advice on the development and operation of a successful community college foundation. First, the paper lists six prerequisites to fund raising: (1) the college must be worthy of support; (2) the board of trustees/governing board must be in agreement that fund raising is a good thing; (3) the president must have credibility and support fund raising; (4) fund-raising activities must have adequate financial support; (5) the fund-raising entity must not be seen as a separate unit of the college, but rather as an integral part of the institution; and (6) the mission of the development office must reflect the needs of the college, not the goals of a separate agenda. The next section of the paper offers guidelines for the hiring of an executive for the college's endowment, focusing on the sources of possible candidates, the qualities a candidate must possess (i.e., innate integrity, intelligence, and the ability to work with, understand, and support all facets of the college enterprise), and the most effective models of development officer/college president relations. The final sections offer guidance on the use of consultants and volunteers in fund raising, arguing that both are needed. (JMC)