1. Campaigns Endowment, Capital and Comprehensive
Kathleen Hanson
Senior Consultant and Principal
Leader – Schools Practice Group
Editor, The NAIS Handbook on Marketing Independent Schools
NESA Leadership Conference – October 2011

2. Our focus
Types of campaigns Three Essential Components of any campaign: CASE CONSTITUENCY CATALYSTS

3. 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

4. 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 volunteers
It positions the school soundly within its market
It provides endless opportunities to talk about the vision

5. Successful Campaigns Begin with a strategic plan
From the plan, identify initiatives which require funding
Assess capacity
Identify Leadership
Staff appropriately
Engage, cultivate, and solicit

6. 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

7. More specifically: Annual Fund Practice Analysis & Tracking
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

8. Case for Support Compelling 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

9. Campaign Success Capacity
How well do you know the philanthropic potential of your constituency?
Acquire key areas of knowledge
Manage information
Understand major donors

10. Campaign Success Ownership of the Board of Trustees and Head of School
Campaign Leadership
Nucleus/Leadership Plan
Gift acceptance policies
Campaign Communications Plan
Donor Relations Plan

11. Testing the Philanthropic Environment
Feasibility Study
Type of study to consider
Goals of the study
What you learn from it
Who does what?

12. Testing the Environment
Data base screening
“old fashioned” screening sessions
Former donors
Vitally important

13. When are you ready? Case for support is developed
All of the essential pieces are in place
The donor base is known and is engaged
You have clarity around a planning goal
There are a number of key staff and volunteers who are ready to do the work
Every campaign needs a champion

14. Role of Planned Gifts
Depends upon the maturity of your current program
Depends upon the campaign objectives and when the dollars are needed
Some schools have a planned giving total aside from the campaign total

15. Campaign Costs Budgets run from 3% to 8% of campaign goal
Primary expenses include:
Feasibility Study
Campaign Counsel
Travel, Dinners, Events
Donor research
Print costs – public phase

16. 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

17. How do you structure? Often depends upon the school
Need some type of volunteer leadership committee
Make up? It needs gravitas.

18. 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

19. 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 leaders
CRITICAL Component

20. Ensure the following
Volunteer 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

21. 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

22. The role of the development team
Orchestrate
Assist with solicitations
Manage constituent relationships
Insure gift intent is honored
Acknowledge
Engage in intentional stewardship

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. Developing a blueprint
Calendar format
Establish phases
Establish essential benchmarks
Set campaign steering committee meeting dates

26. Leadership Phase Working the gift pyramid from the top down
Goal: to raise 75% of the campaign’s planning goal
Intense phase

27. 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

28. Post - Campaign
Remember: 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

29. Q & A