overcoming challenges in annual giving
TRANSCRIPT
OVERCOMING
CHALLENGES IN YOUR
ANNUAL GIVING
PROGRAM
Quinn Barraza
Director, Annual Giving Program – University of Oregon
My budget is too small!
I don’t have enough staff for all this!
The database is in shambles!
My prospect pools keep shrinking each
year!
Alumni participation… arrrrghhh!
We’re not keeping up with our peers!
You want me to do what?!
What’s your problem?
every annual giving program has
challenges!
The Sad Truth is…
4 Things to Help Keep You
Focused and Moving Forward
Know who you are
Work smarter, not harder
Plan the work and work the plan
Make friends and allies
Know who you are…
What are my program’s primary objectives?
What is my case for support?
Who is my audience(s)?
How are we doing on the fundamentals?
What are our core programs and how are they
performing?
Know where you’re going
Worker smarter, not harder
Enhance/expand what is working
Drop what is ineffective or too costly
Improve what is marginal but has potential to
do more
Implement new programs that can make a
significant difference
Plan the work and work the plan
Your strategic/operating plan is your:
Roadmap for the year(s)
Shield against “bright ideas”
A flexible, living document
Use these guiding principles:
What can make the most significant difference to
our fund raising efforts this year?
What can we reasonably accomplish with our
current staff and budget resources?
Make friends and allies
Make the time to build personal relationships
Your internal relationships will make or break
you
IT/data services gurus
Other advancement services staff
Development directors
Campus partners (Alumni Relations, Colleges,
Student Affairs, etc)
Be the folks everyone wants to work with
Honey goes a lot farther than vinegar
Give me something I can use this
year…
Invest in good data
Use specific gift amounts in your asks
Focus on renewals, upgrades and reactivation
Ask for multiple gifts (2nd ask strategy)
Aggressive fulfillment strategy
Promote monthly giving
Not all donors and prospects are equal
Friend donors are just as valuable as alumni donors
Good stewardship = higher donor retention
Final thoughts…
Keep your eye on the prize
It’s a marathon, not a race
“I2” – Incremental Improvement
Time to air your dirty laundry…
