As we have had some time now to absorb the data on 2015 charitable giving provided by the release of the Giving USA 2016 report, we thought it would be helpful to look at the implications of the data for those fundraisers involved in higher education advancement.
Have you ever considered raising philanthropic funds to reduce or eliminate your organization’s debt?
Raising funds for debt relief is good in theory, but requires a specific approach to gain support from donors. A key to fundraising is aligning the needs of the organization with the philanthropic goals of your donors. Yet, paying off debt is not often high on a donor’s list of projects they want to support.
We’ve been asked many times by our client organizations what factors are most important to look for in candidates for Vice President for Advancement positions. Here are a few key questions that you can ask when hiring development staff that will help you understand their ability to be successful.
If a client is just beginning to explore the notion of a feasibility study and an eventual campaign, JGA may offer what we call an Initial Assessment — better known internally as a “Kick the Tires” assessment. Just as an early 20th-century motorist might kick the tires of a new vehicle to determine the road-worthiness of its tires, it can be extremely important to do the same with a development department before it sets out on the challenging and winding road of a campaign.
Presidential involvement is a crucial component of campaign success | A campaign will likely be one of the most important undertakings of a presidency and can transform an institution. The following list outlines the president’s top responsibilities in ensuring campaign success.
During my years at JGA I have had the opportunity to work with several score development officers. When it comes to effectively soliciting gifts, there is one who I would put at the head of the class. This individual wishes to remain anonymous, so I’ll refer to him as “Joe.”
Storytelling plays a powerful role in communicating your mission to donors. Through stories, you share your institutional history, values, and priorities -- creating a connection between you, your institution, and your donors.
Are all “gifts” created equal? We generally say that it takes all types of gifts to move an organization forward and we want to make our donors feel as good as we can about their intent to make a gift in support of the organization.
In a new Giving USA Spotlight newsletter entitled “The Next Generation of Alumni Giving,” the Council of Alumni Association Executives (CAAE) sponsored a comprehensive view of alumni giving, written and researched by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Campaigns are often preceded by a feasibility study. It’s a common and proven way to gauge what level of philanthropic support may be achieved in a campaign and what strategy will help ensure the success of a campaign.