2007 jaa national conference the road to the big o nate hearn associate director major gifts-santa...

2007 JAA National ConferenceThe Road To The Big O

Nate HearnAssociate Director Major Gifts-Santa Clara University

DEVELOPING PARENT INVESTMENT: How to inspire parents to give the most of their time or money

SCU Case Study: Parent Philanthropy

Senior Management mandates renewed focus on non-alumni parent fundraising July 2004;

Research;– Analyze current state of affairs;

SWOT Analysis Identify campus stakeholders;

– Identify industry best practices (see exhibits);– Identify unique target market, i.e. who are your parents.

Conclusions;– More engaged contact with parents will raise their expectations for community

involvement;– How can the development function create this dynamic and still maintain core

focus, i.e. dollars and donors.


Strengths

Parents very satisfied with SCU experience for the most part;

Parent Weekend tradition dates back to 1980’s;

History of parent involvement (Trustees, Regents, Fellows, etc.).

Weaknesses

No dedicated staff;

Limited budget;

Lack of awareness on campus;

Lack of a campus wide strategic marketing mix.

Opportunities

Untapped resource;

Very engaged generation of parents (helicopter);

Many have already received philanthropic education.

Threats

Intense competition from philanthropic community;

Child could leave school;

Post-campaign revenue.


Build consensus on campus;– Convene internal parent group;– Mutual agreement that parents are a critical constituency;– Identified needs:

Unified strategic message; Stronger marketing mix; Smoother communication transitions; Improved data collection; Improved information sharing;

Where does the buck stop;– Question of ownership;– Ability to make investment in a central parent office.


Initial steps;– Maintain internal parent group;

Strengthen collective marketing approach;– Identify current efforts for parent engagement;

Eliminate redundancy; Leverage resources that already exist;

Development specific;– 0-based budgeting/no full-time support;– Define parent specific philanthropic message; – Streamline/strengthen Parent Weekend;– Create/refine direct mail segments and strategically align with

telefund;


Outcomes v. Raised Expectations;– Internal group improved marketing message/mix;

Created parent specific web-portal w/link from home page; Improved timing of all communications; Clarified message/experience transitions and owners;

Prospective parents-admissions; First-year parents-Office of First Year Programs; All current parents/past parent donors-Alumni Office All current parents/past parent donors-Development Office; Senior Parents-University Event Planning Office;

– Identified opportunities for parent involvement; Admissions; Alumni Relations; Athletics; Career Center; Development.

SCU Case Study: Parent PhilanthropyNon-Alumni Parent Results (VSE Report)

FY No. Record

No. Solicited

No. Donors

Amount$

2003 31,677 30,375 3,169 $717,142

2004 33,473 31,973 3,466 $1,193,401

2005 35,334 33,536 3,844 $2,208,251

2006 37,711 35,639 4,573 $1,544,867


Shifting resources in Development;– Completed $350M campaign;– Renewed focus by Santa Clara Fund on disciplined reunion

strategy—no field staff resources for parent fundraising;– Personal transition to MG Team with new director;– Opportunity for MG Team to absorb parent fundraising through

alignment with group goals.

Parent Leadership Council;– $50,000 and up—alignment with major gift threshold;– $100,000 for chairs;– Built in ask/strategy for MG Officers;– Manageable group of high-level donors with little program

management required.


Exhibits posted on JAA website;– Jesuit parent survey circa 2004;– Notes from meeting with Stanford Parent Program;– Draft of Parents Leadership Council initiative.

Contact info;– Email: [email protected];– Phone: 408-554-6979.

2007 jaa national conference the road to the big o nate hearn associate director major gifts-santa...

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