a case study of the university of sheffield over the last nine years – focusing on philanthropy...
TRANSCRIPT
A CASE study of the University of Sheffield over the last nine years – focusing on philanthropy
Miles StevensonDirector of DevelopmentThe University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
9th March 2011
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
I aim to cover …
• How we built a Development and Alumni Relations office
• Using Sheffield as a case study – successes, achievements and lessons
• Questions and discussion
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
The University of SheffieldFounded in 1905
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
5 June 2002
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
18 November 2011
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building a pipeline
A good team
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 7
Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919)
“The rich man who dies rich dies disgraced.”
“I resolved to stop accumulating and begin the infinitely more serious and difficult task of wise distribution.”
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Our aim was to create …
• a successful office • which built a strong alumni
family and brand• supported my Vice-
Chancellor• Helped Sheffield• enthused supporters• and raised money
Marco Van Basten
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Your University is sceptical/nervous
• Can it succeed? • How much will it cost?• Can you recruit good staff?• Will you raise any support? • Realistically, what can be
achieved in the short-term?• Is it essential?
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Confront The “B” word - Begging
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Fundraisers and fundraising?
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Institutional Audit 1
• Check out the history – why haven’t they had one before?
• Who is the head of the institution?
• What is his/her (real) commitment?
• How much charisma?
• Unique selling points – if any
• What is the institution good at?
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Why Education is Important
Ricketts – Penicillin – Viagra!
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Why Education is Important 2
Bailey Bridge – Stainless Steel – London Eye
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Institutional Audit 2
• What resources are available?
• Are senior management keen?
• What is your reporting structure?
• How many alumni, how old, how famous?
• What is the appetite to do this?
• Any focus groups to test this?
• What other supporters exist?
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Institutional Audit 3
• What does the institution really want?
• What are the expectations?
• How reasonable are these expectations?
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Donors won’t pay for …
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
The Strategic Plan
A plan will involve the whole range of activity• Prospect research, identification and cultivation• Publications – e-bulletins• Volunteers• Events/Reunions• Database• Alumni Ambassadors• Legacies/Major gifts• Annual Fund• Mailshots and tele-campaigns
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Basic Ingredients
• Database
• Time
• Direction
• Staff
• Backing from the top
• Training
• Energy and enthusiasm
• A budget
The University of Sheffield: a case study
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Sheffield
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
The University of SheffieldFounded in 1905
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Sheffield - 1904
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Back to 1984
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
What went wrong?
Unrealistic expectations Lack of commitment at the top Ownership – “someone else will provide the money” Parties and publications versus fundraising Ever growing costs No early successes = destroying confidence Too much “choice” for donations Alumni groups preserving independence Staff not really believing in it - apologetic Ultimately the cost – benefit ratio
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Starting point
No one was asking
No Development Office – so no co-ordination
No thanking of existing donors = withering away
No publicity to raise any awareness of why someone should give
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
What did I do first?
• Scoping – pause for thought
• Database – expensive
• Questionnaire and research
• Internet site – with donation form
• Quality publications
• Fundraising priorities and plan
• Alumni Relations programme
• Agreed projects
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Public backing by Vice-Chancellor
Talk to all heads of department on my second day
Support from Vice-Chancellor
Acknowledgment of difficulties
Immediate expressions of interest
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Essential stakeholders
You need key constituents on your team
1. Your Vice-Chancellor/your boss
2. The senior managers
3. Your staff
4. Your supporters/donors
5. The academic champions
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building participation
• Leadership to agree on objectives
• Case for support
• Communication to departments and faculties
• Champions – internal and external
• Determine past and current supporters
• Find new supporters
• Create gift clubs and donor recognition points
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
My starting point
• Some data – no database
• 1 ½ alumni relations staff
• No magazine – limited website
• 6 regular donors – c. £100 p.a.
• No organised fundraising
• But … evidence of philanthropy from the past
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Teams
• Database and Research
• Fundraising – Annual Fund Telephone and direct mail
• Fundraising – Projects
• Fundraising – Major Gifts
• Fundraising - Legacies
• Finance and Stewardship
• Alumni Relations
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Development and Alumni Relations Office
Office established June 2002:
• To reconnect with alumni, staff and
friends of the University
• To raise donations
• To build up endowments
Now 17 staff
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Sowing the seeds
Alumni Relations prepares the ground for increased reputation, brand recognition, better recruitment and ultimately donations.
Don’t treat alumni as a “cash cow”
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Ordinary alumni?
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Now worth $73 billion (ish)
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
William Squire
• You need processes
• You need a little luck
• You can create luck
• You don’t need to convert everyone
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 38
My first donor
People invest in success
Our Alumni
Former students, staffand friends
130,000 +
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Hard and soft benefits
Word of Mouth
Donations
Reputation
Speakers
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Famous Alumni
David Blunkett, Sir Harry Kroto, Sir Richard Roberts, Eddie Izzard
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Addressable Alumni (02/02/2009)
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Africa1,497
Russia & Central Asia -
28Europe 9,546 Middle
East/Gulf 1,888
N. America
2,601
S. America
338
S. Asia1,19
4
S.E. Asia
5,345
E. Asia
4,580Caribbean
443
Australasia849
UK 98,308
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Alumni Publications
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building the communications
Your Alumni Magazine
• Establish a brand identity
• Make it interesting – not just propaganda!
• Regular publishing
• Ensure a mention of philanthropy/beneficiaries
Your Website
• Websites do not replace magazines – they complement them
• Websites can provide information/new/services
• Use it to collect information - link to your database
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building the communications 2
Donor Publications
• Donor newsletter – validates and motivates
• Legacy/Bequest guide – important to attain big gifts (Amsterdam example)
• Guides to giving – avoid one size fits all – tailor each one
• Project/Campaign publications – avoid over-reliance on expensive productions
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 46
Sort out publicity!
You need to start working on all your audiences immediately – every medium
Switchboard
Home web page
Donation Form
Cases for giving
You need a success story
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Centenary DVD to 25,000
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 48
Make your gift first!
The number one rule …
If you can’t persuade yourself, you won’t persuade anyone
Gifts that “hurt” – not token gifts
All part of the training
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Gift Clubs
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building the processes
Stewardship
• Effective mechanisms to thank supporters
• Effective mechanisms to recognise supporters
• Regular cultivation devices
• Validation tools (newsletter)
• Thank, thank, THANK - Ευχαριστώ
• Your most likely future donor is a past donor
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Saying thank you
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Recognition
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building the processes 2
Your database
• The database is your most important resource – it is crucial for “corporate memory”
• Buy an “off the shelf model” – resist in-house designs
• Send out questionnaires
• Link your website to the database
• Use it to record information, gifts, stewardship and events
• Track and record affinity - attendance
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building the processes 3
Prospect Management• Build a prospect identification process• Establish rigorous and thorough prospect
cultivation and tracking processes• Prospect profiles, meeting reports and data
collection methods• Programme of prospect cultivation meetings • Prepare ways to invite prospects back
(dinners, lectures, careers advice, mentor)
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Building the processes 4
Finance and gift tracking
• Make friends with the Finance Office or Bursar
• Clear guidelines for responsibility and actions
• Appropriate gift aid reclamation processes
• Agreement on who deals with general donations
• Agreement on who deals with bequests/queries
• When gifts go wrong – the £1 million bounced cheque
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Visibility
The Development Office must be visible
People must be able to find this office – and quickly
You need to know all tax issues and documentation perfectly
You must inspire trust and confidence – some people are actually just “testing” you
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Defining targets
• Set time frame over next 4 – 5 years
• “10p to gain £1” or 20p or 30p …
• Establish key stages when budget/staff can be increased
• Track and measure donations and legacy pledges
• Improve accuracy of database (fewer returns)
• Improve database content (emails, phone numbers)
• Growth in number of donors and value of gifts
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
You must also havenon-financialmeasureables
Get measuring
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Some recent successes at Sheffield
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Gifts and Pledges
£24 million raised since 2002 Funds raised for every faculty 9,500 donors c. 90% of the gifts were “untied”
431 legacies confirmed
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 61
SITraN
It is the research that counts …
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Opportunity does come knocking
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 63
Exhibition Space
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications 64
Pro Bono Law
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Scholarships
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
The Alumni Foundation
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Legacy figures
• 431 confirmations that Sheffield is remembered in a will
• A further 1,370 people have requested a legacy brochure
• Since 2000, we have received legacies from 43 individuals worth:
£3,395,776
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
You MUST …
1. Believe in the cause – this will give you conviction and passion
2. Make your own gift – you can look the donor in the eye
3. Get out of the office and meet people
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
You MUST …
1. Know your University inside out – history, facts, achievements
2. Identify what makes your University special – its U.S.P. (Unique selling point/s)
3. Win the trust (and time) of the senior management and academics
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
You MUST …1. Have good “saleable” projects – on two sides of paper!
2. Put these through a vigorous testing
3. Identify and research who might support you
4. Get out and “sell”
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Managing expectations
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
You will need …
• Process
• Staff and resources
• Early successes
• Steady nerves
• Belief in the cause
• Patience
• And a bit of luck
21/04/23 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications
Short-term gains versus long-term planning
“We build long-termfundraising relationshipsin institutions that think short-term.”
Scott NicholsHarvard Law School
Discussion and Questions