Copyright Marts & Lundy

CampaignsEndowment, Capital and Comprehensive

Kathleen HansonSenior Consultant and PrincipalLeader – Schools Practice Group

Editor, The NAIS Handbook on Marketing Independent SchoolsNESA Leadership Conference – October 2011

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Our focus

Types of campaigns

Three Essential Components of any campaign:

CASECONSTITUENCY

CATALYSTS

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Campaign Planning begins with

Defining Institutional Vision and Priorities

Clear articulation of who you are Knowing where you are going Articulating how you intend to get there Illustrating the difference it will make

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Benefits of a campaign It provides a structure for the fund raising It provides a “sense of urgency” It provides opportunities for engagement

to a group of valued volunteersIt positions the school soundly within its

marketIt provides endless opportunities to talk

about the vision

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Successful Campaigns Begin with a

strategic planFrom the plan,

identify initiatives which require funding

Assess capacity Identify LeadershipStaff appropriately Engage, cultivate,

and solicit

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Campaign Success Factors• Successful annual funds• Strategic management of constituent

groups• Ability to enlist volunteers• Accurate analysis and tracking of the pool

of potential donors• Proven stewardship

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More specifically: Annual Fund Practice

Goal setting Leadership giving goals Segmentation of donors High quality solicitation

activity Participation Ability to administer

gifts Donor relations

Analysis & Tracking Screening Donor Research Individualized donor

strategies Systematic and creative

tracking of the relationship

Management of donor information

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Case for SupportCompelling and authentic

Expresses a clarity of vision and direction

It identifies the “for what” and “why” of the campaign and this language must be communicated across all channels

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Campaign SuccessCapacity

How well do you know the philanthropic potential of your constituency?Acquire key areas of knowledgeManage informationUnderstand major donors

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Campaign Success Ownership of the Board of Trustees and

Head of SchoolCampaign LeadershipNucleus/Leadership PlanGift acceptance policiesCampaign Communications PlanDonor Relations Plan

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Testing the Philanthropic Environment

Feasibility StudyType of study to considerGoals of the studyWhat you learn from itWho does what?

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Testing the EnvironmentData base screening

“old fashioned” screening sessions

Former donorsVitally important

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When are you ready? Case for support is developedAll of the essential pieces are in placeThe donor base is known and is engaged

You have clarity around a planning goalThere are a number of key staff and

volunteers who are ready to do the workEvery campaign needs a champion

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Role of Planned GiftsDepends upon the maturity of your current

programDepends upon the campaign objectives

and when the dollars are neededSome schools have a planned giving total

aside from the campaign total

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Campaign CostsBudgets run from 3% to 8% of campaign

goalPrimary expenses include:

Feasibility StudyCampaign CounselTravel, Dinners, Events Donor researchPrint costs – public phase

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Funding Options Borrow from a quasi-endowment Use unrestricted gifts Allocate unrestricted bequests Request gifts to underwrite costs Increase operating budget Increase endowment payout rate

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How do you structure? Often depends upon the school

Need some type of volunteer leadership committee Make up? It needs gravitas.

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The Role of the Leadership Committee

• Lead - and make the first gifts – With staff, set the pace and calendar– With staff, cultivate, solicit and steward– With staff, develop strategies for each

potential donor– With staff, thank donors

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Insure education for the volunteer leaders

Develop campaign “talking points” from the Case for support and insure key leaders are comfortable with them.

From “calling for an appointment” to an actual solicitation, provide education to volunteer leadersCRITICAL Component

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Ensure the followingVolunteer leaders understand how to

respond to various questions from a donor…….and, why donors say “no.”

Volunteer leaders understand when a proposal might be more effective

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The Role of the Board of Trustees

• A campaign is their first priority both individually and as a group

• Make a financial commitment at one of the top rungs of their ladder of giving

• Play a role: solicit, cultivate, engage, steward and provide the staffing and budget needed

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The role of the development team

• Orchestrate • Assist with solicitations• Manage constituent relationships• Insure gift intent is honored• Acknowledge• Engage in intentional stewardship

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The role of the Head of School• Plan on 30% of the Head of School’s time

dedicated to the campaign for the leadership phase

• The Board of Trustees, faculty and staff need to understand this at the outset.

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Leadership Change?• Schools are electing to have a leader or co-

leaders for the nucleus or leadership phase, then change leaders for the public phase.

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Developing a blueprintCalendar format

Establish phasesEstablish essential benchmarks

Set campaign steering committee meeting dates

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Leadership Phase • Working the gift pyramid from the top

down

• Goal: to raise 75% of the campaign’s planning goal

• Intense phase

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Public Phase• Public announcement of a goal; gifts

received towards that goal• An opportunity to involve all constituencies

in the campaign• An opportunity to celebrate

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Post - CampaignRemember: Past donors are as important

to a school as new donors

Keep the momentum going

Use the campaign to raise the bar on your fundraising program

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Q & A