FUND RAISING – PLAN
OF ACTION
(Washington University in
St. Louis)
Partnership for success
– Faculty, staff & administration – Alumni - Parents –
Coaches – W Club – all are points on a star…with student-athletes
& athletics programs as the “beneficiaries” in the center of the star
Why raise funds
– Federal/state cutbacks on funding – fewer dollars available for
research grants – higher tuition and fees requiring universities to reach
into endowments for meeting costs associated with academic/merit scholarships
and financial aid assistance – escalating costs for, salaries, health and
retirement benefits – fewer dollars available for extracurricular
programming –athletics being but one – increasing costs across the
board – priority spending by universities to enhance the academic
enterprise.
Do you want to raise funds
to supplement your existing budget for athletics specifically and for athletic
operations in general? That
question has to be answered honestly before one begins the journey into
fundraising & development.
How do I get started
·
Formulate a plan and put
it on paper (vision and purpose).
·
Understand how
alumni/development office is organized – how it interfaces with the rest
of the university – how you perceive the athletic fit.
·
Set an appointment to
meet with the individual you report to and if he/she is receptive to your
vision…set a time to meet with the Director of Development.
·
What services are
provided (available to other departments within the University setting: phones/volunteers/mailings and mailing
lists/writers/publications/ assistance/liaisons/etc.
·
Understand terminology
on your campus – restricted versus unrestricted gifts – which is more valuable – matching gifts –
endowments and how they work – challenge grants
– bequests – planned giving – annual fund – capital
projects.
·
Be of the needy, not the
greedy.
·
Ask for assistance in
terms of planning development priorities and implementation of those plans
– if the Director of Development and Alunni Relations is part of the
planning process, your chances are much greater for success.
Don’t
be surprised if your request to establish an organization to raise funds
fails or is met with resistance –1980-89 reality…this is the time frame
it took to get a final “ok” for our W Club – development will be
concerned with potential risks involved with athletic fund raising (raiding
– misrepresentation – where funds go – trust – greed
– competing for same $$$$ as academic enterprise - why the necessity to raise funds for athletic –
etc.) Just be ready to answer the
“resistance questions”
Talk
to your president if you believe he/she will be receptive – but first
go through your chain of command. Know that the Dierctor of Development most
likely has direct access to the President…so you need to get development to
support you initiative.
What
do we give donors – good will – thanks – newsletter with
alumni insert – invitations for alumni get-togethers at selected sites or
on campus for special occasions or events – golf outing – tennis
night – donor receptions - alumni basketball and softball games –
alumni swimming meet - Hall of Fame – student-athlete banquet –
donors are on the “Team” that help bring about success.
How
is use of athletic fund raising revenues determined – University
policy? Athletic Department policy? – Charter of fund raising
organization? – we have discretion to use funds as determined by the
Director of Athletics without approval of the W Club Executive Committee…. and
this is the way it should be at the outset…and…is consistent with the
discretionary powers of the academic deans on campus.
Do
with Funds
Student-athletic
banquet at end of year – rings for an individual or team winning a
national championship – Hall of Fame – uniforms – facility
enhancement – travel assistance – recruiting – pep band
– sports information – W Club awards – alumni events at home
and on the road – alumni brunch during Commencement Week - student-athlete advisory committee -
alumni weekend – whatever needs to be done and is reasonably
affordable …be fair and exercise good judgment.
Random
Check Points:
·
Will someone serve as
liaison to Athletic Department?
·
Alumni City Councils
throughout the country – do they exist for your institution?
·
What costs are shared?
·
What do you do with the
list of your graduating athletes?
It is recommended that one maintain records (data base) on each
graduating student-athlete as these graduates will eventually be key for your
donor mailings once you receive approval to move forward. At the conclusion of
the student-athletes senior year we send the list of graduates and those who
exhausted their eligibility to the Alumni office, they are coded and they are
added to our mailing list for future correspondence.
·
What is your goal?
·
Who can you contact
– clearances?
·
Coaches role – are
they fund raisers or coaches? I believe they are coaches
fundraising?
·
Who has authority to
approve expenditures? Athletic
Director should have final say.
Thank
you letters – all acknowledged from $1.29 to $50,000…discretion to use
funds where they are most needed.
·
Personal notes on
letters – pays dividends in the future.
·
Membership categories
– consistent with University terminology – for example, Century/Fellows/Deans/etc.
·
Women in the present and
future…..important in the make-up of you executive committee and the success of
your fundraising efforts and gifts received.
·
Be low key.
·
Exercise “extreme
caution with “parents”….this is a most sensitive issue with the academic
enterprise and development personnel…sometimes parents are being cultivated for
special/large gifts and as such, you don’t want to be caught in the middle
because you will end up loosing the trust you established….. the recommendation
is that one concentrate on alumni and friends for gift support….with the
knowledge that the parent initiative can be brought up down the road.
«
End result of
fundraising organization running counter to University policies? Disaster!!!
Presented by:
John Schael
Director of Athletics
Washington University
St. Louis, Missouri
ATHLETICS – FUND
RAISING/DEVELOPMENT PLAN
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST.
LOUIS
By John Schael
MISSION
STATEMENT
To form an athletic alumni club open to all alumni and
friends of Washington University interested in supporting the athletics
programs of the University. The
club shall be structured similar to the giving clubs of the schools already in
place. Its primary purpose shall
be to foster fundraising efforts for the department of athletics, specifically,
gifts to the annual fund and identify/cultivate individuals with major gift
potential. The fundraising effort
is not intended to detract from the existing support of the schools but rather
to encourage those not giving elsewhere to do so to athletics as well as
encourage larger gifts or additional gifts to the Athletic Annual Fund. The effort shall be consistent with the
policies and procedures of the University and will not promote any one
particular sport, but will benefit all intercollegiate sports sponsored by the University.
GOALS
1. Establish a leadership group
for the club comprised of alumni, define the name and membership levels.
2. Establish a consistent means
of communication with club members, as well as a means of increasing the
overall visibility of athletics with alumni and friends.
3. Establish a unique identity
for the athletic club members beyond that established
by the existing school clubs.
4. Establish formalized fund
raising efforts based in new member recruitment
as well as special events.
Underlying Principles
1. Maintain positive working
relationships with University’s alumni and development
services and programs.
2. Build ongoing trust and
support for initiatives by working within the framework
of existing policies and procedures associated with University’s
alumni and development programs.
3. Ideas work best with the
advice of capable and experienced professionals. Before any idea is implemented, it
should be passed through those in position of good judgment. Because the development officer’s
judgment is valued and respected, they are critical to ones success, critical
in assisting ones efforts to be more effective, and critical to building a
sense of confidence in the athletics programs fundraising initiatives.
GOAL #1 –
LEADERSHIP FORUM, CLUB DEFINITION
Objectives
A. Form an
athletic executive committee, consisting of a chairman / chairwoman and one
representative for each sport sponsored by the University.
B. Define
the Executive Committee’s responsibilities in clear, concise terms.
C. Define
the financial support needed, and sources to begin and operate the new club
effort.
D. Name the
club and define membership levels.
Currently proposed are:
·
Name: The “W” Club
·
Membership
levels: $100.00 Century
$250.00 Fellow
$500.00 Dean’s
$1,000.00 William T.
Greenleaf Eliot
·
Membership
level names consistent with Washington’s named giving categories
Tasks
A. Executive
Committee
1. Identify
3-4 candidates and recruit a chairperson for the Athletic Executive Committee
Responsibility: Athletic Director & Development Officer
2. Recruit
executive committee members – one per sport.
Responsibility: Sport Coaches – identify candidate names; recruit in conjunction with Athletic
Director.
3. Form
membership level committee and identify a chairperson.
B. Job
Description
1. Write
a job description for the chairperson and executive committee members.
Responsibility: Development officer with approval from Athletic Director.
2. Outline
the committee’s meeting schedule.
(include both social and business)
Responsibility: Athletic Director
3. Prepare
an addendum to the job description defining the department’s needs and how the
volunteers can help.
Responsibility: Athletic Director
C. Budget
1. Define
a budget.
Responsibility: Athletic Director & Development Officers
D. Name/Levels
1. Obtain
final approvals for the names and giving levels.
Responsibility: Development Officers & Athletic Director
GOAL #2 –
CONSISTENT COMMUNICATIONS / IMPROVED VISIBILITY
Objectives
A. Formulate
an “announcement” of the club formation to be used as a direct mail piece to
all former lettermen, parents of varsity athletes, former physical education
majors and selected “friends of athletics.”
B. Submit
an article announcing same in Alumni News.
C. Formulate
a brochure and annual renewal letters to be used as a solicitation piece in
direct mail campaigns for both new members and renewals of existing members.
D. Establish
a newsletter, produced by the athletic department . . . can be placed on
website, emailed or mailed on a regular schedule to former lettermen /
letterwomen, parents of varsity athletes, former physical education majors and
other members of the club as well as non-donors.
E. Establish
a consistent public relations effort focused toward the “Target Market”
originated within the athletic department and based in existing University
publications currently mailed to all alumni.
Tasks
A. Announcement
• Article • Newsletter • Brochure
1. Draft
an announcement mailing, article, brochure, and renewal letters.
Responsibility: University writers, development
officer, sports information director, athletic director.
2. Code
parents of varsity athletes in so they can be easily accessed.
Responsibility: Development
3. Establish
an Athletics Newsletter or other means of consistent communication.
Responsibility: Athletic
Director via a designee within the Athletic Department.
GOAL #3 -
IDENTIFY
Objectives
A. Identify
a frequent, consistent means of recognizing donors and volunteers with thank
you letters from the Athletic Director for each gift received.
B. Identify
premiums of nominal value to be received by joining members.
C. Identify
specific privileges for new and existing members that are available so long as
membership is maintained.
D. Establish
one or two annual events available to current members only.
Tasks
A. Recognition
1. Design
a “W” Club stationery, reflecting the names of executive committee members.
Responsibility:
Development Officer, Public Relations, Athletic Director
2. Define
a periodic method of acknowledging new members (i.e. in the Newsletter, an
Honor Roll entry etc.)
Responsibility:
Development Officer and Athletic Director
3. Design
a display case, easily visible inside the Athletic Complex, including a
founding members plaque and membership roster as well as other appropriate
memorabilia.
Responsibility:
Sports Information and Athletic Director
B. Premiums
1. Research
items and related costs uniquely designed for the “W” Club.
Responsibility: Development Officer and Athletic Director
C. Privileges
1. List
all potential privileges if any and choose levels.
2. Coordinate
donor privileges with those that exist and include consideration for out of
town Alumni.
Responsibility: Development Officer and Athletic Director
D. Members
Only Events
1. Gather
ideas for annual, social events, and include them in the overall calendar.
Responsibility:
Executive Committee Members, Director of Athletics, Alumni Relations
GOAL #4 - FORMALIZED FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
Objectives
A. Motivate
executive committee members to recruit 5 new members each at a Fellows level or
above per year. (Efforts may begin
immediately, regardless of
priority school targeted only to lettermen / letterwomen who have not donated
at all during FY’__ and ‘__ and lettermen
/ letterwomen who donated to athletics in
either FY ‘___ or ‘___.
B. Hold an
alumni phonathon, using executive committee members as callers.
C. Identify
prospects for larger gifts and establish a regular effort of personal
solicitation with the appropriate member(s) of the athletic department staff.
D. Evaluate the
expense versus return, including staff management and time required for a
fundraising event. If the
evaluation proves realistic, recruit a volunteer committee to manage the
planning/initiation of the event.
(Any resulting tournament/event, etc., will be the sole responsibility
of the athletic department.)
E. Identify
potential opportunities for a challenge grant, and pursue them.
Tasks
A. Recruitment
1. Recruitment, via personal calls and
phonathons shall be included in the job description of the executive committee
members.
2. Establish an Eliot Society Chairman and
membership committee for the “W” Club.
B. Major
Gifts
1. Cultivate
specific individuals as they become apparent candidates for major gifts via
their interest/involvement in club activities. This objective is focused on
longer term development opportunities rather than immediate term.
Responsibility: Athletic Director and Development Officer
C. Challenge
Grant
1. Discuss
possibilities with Director of Development
Responsibility: Athletic Director, Development Officer
Mail Schedule/ Description
|
1st Appeal Cover letter/brochure |
· Lettermen non-donors FY’___
announcing the “W” Club and ‘___ · Lettermen Donors to Athletics FY
‘___ and ‘___ · Athletic Club members in FY‘___ |
|
2nd Appeal Letter personalized for Club |
· Athletic Club members in FY’___
level renewal not yet renewed |
|
3rd Appeal Same as 2nd Appeal |
· Same as 2nd Appeal |
|
March – June |
|
|
4th Appeal 1) Announcement
of “W” Club as in 1st Appeal |
· All Lettermen not included in 1st
Appeal · Parents of Varsity Athletes · Physical Education Majors |
|
2) Follow up
– “W” Club Appeal |
· Lettermen in 1st Appeal who did
not respond. |
|
3) Club
level renewal |
· Athletic Club members in FY___ not
yet renewed |
|
5th Appeal Same as 4th Appeal |
· Same as 4th Appeal |
ATHLETICS BUDGET PLAN
|
CATEGORY |
ATHLETIC DEPT. |
ALUMNI & DEV. |
OTHER |
|
Phonathons (2) |
|
|
|
|
20 callers @ $20.00 |
|
800.00 |
|
|
Direct Mail |
|
|
|
|
Announcement (2000) .656 ea |
|
1,312.00 |
|
|
Brochure (Mar-June) 2500 @ .656 ea |
|
1,640.00 |
|
|
Renewal Letters (100) |
|
30.00 |
|
|
Newsletter |
? |
|
|
|
Mail Development/Printing |
|
|
|
|
Announcement/Brochure (12,000) |
|
2,000.00 |
|
|
Activities |
|
|
|
|
Committee Meetings |
|
400.00 |
|
|
Football Barbeque |
|
|
self-supporting |
|
Pre-game meal (Football) |
|
|
self-supporting |
|
Members only Events Breakfast Mtgs 3-100 people @ 3.95 each |
1,185.00 |
|
|
|
Football Banquet |
? |
|
|
|
Pre/Post Game Receptions 2 w/50 people @10.00 |
1,000.00 |
|
|
|
Other |
|
|
|
|
W Club Stationery @ 12,000 |
1,000.00 |
|
|
|
Premiums |
? |
|
|
|
Estimated Total |
$3,185.00 |
$6,182.00 |
|