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Presented By: MEREDITH HOWELL

PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE

ANNUAL GIVING IN CAMPAIGNS

CONTENTS

HOW CAMPAIGNS AND ANNUAL GIVING ARE SIMILAR

PLANNING FOR A CAMPAIGN

GOAL SETTING

CAMPAIGN LANGUAGE IN ANNUAL GIVING MATERIALS

INCORPORATING ANNUAL GIVING LANGUAGE IN CAMPAIGNMATERIALS

CO-BRANDING IN A CAMPAIGN

MARRYING MAJOR GIFT AND ANNUAL GIVING

ALWAYS PLAN FOR THE NEXT CAMPAIGN

The multi-year campaign fundraiser is the new normal. Campaigns are so prevalent, Insider Higher Ed has a database to keep track of the timing and goals of university campaigns.

Trend is larger donations, fewer donors.

Individual alumni giving rates have declined and the trend is expected to continue. 49 institutions are in billion dollar campaigns.*

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Always in a campaign-either planning for one, knee-deep in one or planning for the next one

No longer just for new buildings and campus improvements

Campaigns can:• Transform the landscape of a campus

• Launch new centers, institutes, programs

• Substantially increase scholarship support

• Reinvigorate fundraising and uncover new major giving prospects

EVERYBODY’S GOT ONE

Comprehensive Campaigns

Extensive planning

Reliance on data analysis

Generate excitement and common messaging

Builds a culture of philanthropy among internal and external stakeholders

Planning for the future

TWO SIDESOF A COIN

Annual Giving Programs

Extensive planning

Reliance on data analysis

Generate excitement and common messaging

Builds a culture of philanthropy among internal and external stakeholders

Planning for today and tomorrow.

BENEFITS OF INCLUDING ANNUAL

GIVING IN ACAMPAIGN

AMPLIFIES MESSAGE TO A WIDER AUDIENCE

STRENGTHENS YOUR BRAND

- Phonathon

- Giving Day

- Emails

- Social Media

PROVIDES ACCESS TO MULTIPLE CHANNELS

YOUR BENEFITS

GETTING A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Annual giving should be part of the campaign planning process.

Being part of the planning provides an opportunity to incorporate campaign branding in annual giving solicitations and stewardship.

Collaboration with communications team enables annual giving to utilize “power” wording in materials.

SETTINGGOALS

Set goals that are attainable (with a little reach built in), measurable, endorsed by leadership and can show impact.

Participation

New alumni donors

Number of gifts to the campaign

% of donations from gifts under $5,000

Faculty/Staff giving

Student volunteer hours

IDEASFOR GOALS

PUBLIC GOALS

• Number of donors• Increased giving from alumni• Number of gifts made at the annual

giving level• New scholarships created

INTERNAL GOALS

• Identification of new major donors

• Increased leadership annual giving donors

• Retention rates

• New donor rates

• Annual giving

• Increased average gift

MEASURINGIMPACT

How will increased annual giving IMPACT the campaign and ultimately, the school:

• Student support• Research• Facilities• Centers/Programs

Determine areas to measure during planning

• Resources to track and report• Documentation on what counts

COMMUNICATIONSAND STEWARDSHIP

• Highlight loyal annual giving donors in campaign materials

• Recognize loyal annual giving donors at campaign-related events

• Highlight annual giving donors regularly on your website

• Promote giving days in campaign materials

• Incorporate annual giving participation and process in all campaign updates in newsletters, magazines, updates from leadership

TALKING ABOUT CAMPAIGNIN ANNUAL GIVING

• Use power wording that is associated with campaign priorities to reinforce the messaging.

• Forge the future of public education• Redefine the model for student success• Chicago’s public research university

• Share how collective participation impacts progress. Use specific examples.

• Multiple goal amounts and numbers detract from a strong call to action.

BE GENUINE IN YOUR LANGUAGE

INSTEAD OF

Your gift of any amount will transform our university.

OR

Our goal is $100 million. Your renewed gift of $25 will make a tremendous difference.

TRY

Your support makes a difference. We were able to do XYZ because of the collective support of our alumni and

friends.

OR

All gifts count toward our campaign goal. Over XXXX have made a gift in support of the campaign.

Make it about the donors and put your campaign

totals in context

HIGHLIGHT ANNUAL

GIVINGMESSAGING

RELATEDCAMPAIGN TAGLINES

Be Bold. Be Audacious. Be in that Number.

TULANE CAMPAIGN

TULANE ANNUAL GIVING

MORETIE-INS!

Use your giving day to build yearly excitement

Any class (between 2000-2019) that reaches 45% participation in Dartmouth College Fund giving will have a $100,000 endowed scholarship created in its name by an anonymous donor.

Through this special Dartmouth College Fund Young Alumni Challenge, these 20 classes could collectively add $2 million in endowed scholarship funds.

CREATIVE WAYSTO MARRY

ANNUAL GIVING TO A CAMPAIGN

GIFT

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CAMPAIGN ENDS?

HOW DO YOU KEEP MOMENTUM GOING UNTIL THE NEXT CAMPAIGN?

ALWAYS PLAN FOR WHAT’S NEXT

The Campaign for SMU:

A Time to Lead (1997-2002) raised $542M

SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign (2008-2015)

• Initial goal of $750M

• Increased to $1B in 2013

• Achieved goal of receiving gifts from 50% of alumni

• Achieved goal of hitting 25% alumni participation

• 58% increase in number of donors from the last campaign

CASE STUDYSOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (SMU)

CASE STUDYSOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (SMU)

Bridge Campaigns:

SMU Pony Power: Strengthening the Stampede

CASE STUDYSOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (SMU)

Tell the story of annual giving and impact

SMU Pony Power Campaign

INCORPORATING ANNUAL GIVING IN CAMPAIGN

PLANNING

• Increase your reach

• Strengthen your brand

• Increase leadership giving and loyal giving

• Build a pipeline of donors for the next campaign

• Maintain momentum

• Achieve new milestones in alumni giving

THANK YOU

mrhowell@uic.eduUniversity of Illinois at Chicago