1. Starting an Annual Giving Leadership Circle: Preparation & Execution Heather Ashley Assoc. Dir. Annual Giving & Alumni Affairs UF College of Engineering

2. OVERVIEW University of Florida – About 50,000 students – More than 367,000 alumni – Boasts 16 Colleges UF Engineering – Largest professional school, 2 nd largest unit for student enrollment, 3 rd largest research unit – 8,700 + students 5,813 undergraduate 2,961 graduate – 9 comprehensive departments Interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes – 45,000 + living alumni – Produced 1% of all engineers that graduated last spring

3. ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM UF has central, integrated “unit” devoted to annual giving for university and colleges – Direct Mail – Phone Campaign – Online Giving – Emails

4. DEAN’S LEADERSHIP CIRCLE TIMELINE Started research – Fall 2011 – Assessed data & looked for areas of interest Develop case statements, inserts & layout – Early Spring 2012 Final layout to designer – Summer 2012 Group Mailing – Last week of Sept 2012

5. THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS What? Why? Who? When?

6. WHAT? Program criteria: -Purpose -Exclusivity -Strategic Alignment

7. WHY? Increase Alumni Giving (impact rankings) -Annual average gift (ranked 3 rd at UF – FY12) -Annual giving percentage (ranked 12 th at UF – FY12) Message Dean’s strategic plan/vision Increase funding for specific area/fund - Student Life Fund Declining state budgets Build pipeline for next campaign - Identification/Qualification

8. WHO? -Alumni 45-55

9. WHO? -Alumni 45-55 -Females

10. Giving to Engineering by Gender 10

11. WHO? -Alumni 45 - 55 -Females -Parents

12. -Alumni 45 - 55 -Females -Parents -Advisory Boards o Members had 21% annual giving participation rate prior to program  Individual appeal message for each group WHO?

13. Important milestones College 100 years 50 th Reunion 25 th Reunion Calendar Year End Dean Change Special events/reunion weekends WHEN?

17. MILESTONE SUCCESSES Dollars Pledged/Raised – $50,000  4 Weeks – $100,000  6 Weeks – $150,000  7 Weeks – $200,000  18 Weeks – $250,000  TBD ($240,503 as of June 3, 2013) Alumni Giving (to Engineering) Increased – Average gift ($182.01 – FY 13 $119.81 – FY 12) – Dollars raised ($397,520 – FY 13 $266,344 – FY 12 ) Average Pledge: $1,791 Average Gift: $790 Dollars In the Door: $94,086

18. MILESTONE SUCCESSES Parent Participation – 6% participation rate Overall 5% participation rate in Leadership Circle – Average giving percentage increased (currently 9 th ) Increased Board Participation – 44% annual giving (up from 21%) Increase in Female Giving – 3% Participation rate in Leadership Circle

19. MILESTONE SUCCESSES Allows for segmentation Reinforce Dean’s Message Increase in amount of pledges Displayed advisory board support to Dean and UF administration Department Collaboration

20. CHALLENGES 1 st ever leadership circle program – No established mindset of philanthropy Staffing for stewardship & data analysis Lengthy process to develop effective program 8 th largest University in country (based on enrollment #) – Lots of units competing for same people Highly ranked units and alums with multiple degrees so affinity can be limited

21. BEST PRACTICES Research your alumni base  look for gaps & holes Research peer schools and at least 1-2 non- peer schools Department Collaboration – Can give to dept unrestricted fund Keep benefits small but meaningful— access, access, access

22. NEXT STEPS Online Giving Form Further Segmentation of Parents – Retention efforts 50 th Reunion Class Gift Continued Solicitation of Females

23. THANK YOU! hashley@eng.ufl.edu 352-392-6795 hashley@eng.ufl.edu