Creating A Strategic Annual Campaign

Jennifer WeinstockSenior Development Officer, Gann Academyjweinstock@gannacademy.org

Agendao Creating a shared languageo Who does what?o What makes a great Annual Campaign?o Creating a Plan

The Annual Campaign“It’s like brushing your teeth”

-Pearl Kane

Definitions:Annual Campaign: All fundraising that happens in a given fiscal year where dollars are unrestricted and renewable.

Annual Campaign Plan: A holistic integration of all development activities in a given fiscal year.

Annual CampaignSTRATEGY

Cultivate new families Solicit all parents Increase community

support Outreach to alumni Build brand recognition Increase major gifts Steward Board members

TACTICS Major gifts event Mailing to parents Channukah concert for

community Solicitation training for

Board Alumni reunion Lunch with a Board member Personal invitation to event

Annual Campaign Messageso How does the Annual Campaign help your

camp achieve its vision?

o What are you raising money for?

How to Make a Compelling Case

Think – What is it you want your camp stakeholders to know or understand about your annual campaign?

Feel – What emotion do you want them to have about your annual campaign? Inspired, curious, excited…?

Do – What specific action do you want them to take?

Markers of a Strategic Annual CampaignA strategic annual campaign:

Lasts all year Builds on the achievements of previous year Creates philanthropic momentum Builds relationships Involves board members and beyond Unites communities around shared values Based on a development plan Segments donors and prospects

Strategic Annual Campaign

Reimagining Your Annual Campaign

• From transactional to relational• From same as always to new and exciting• From scholarship to program excellence• From camp needs to donor interest• From a select few to broad participation• From competing needs to a coordinated effort• From racing the calendar to planning strategically

How will you do this?

From Transactional to Relational

1. Audit what you have done before. How many of your development activities are transactional?

2. How many of your activities are relational?

From Same-As-Always to New-And-Exciting

o Create annual campaign rigor with a public launch o Announce goals with excitement and be transparent

about how you are going to reach themo Invite annual campaign leadership to have a public

role at key camp functionso Add annual campaign information into all camp

communicationso Collect donor testimonials and use them!

From Scholarship Needs to Program Excellence

o Scholarship needs are not for everyoneo What else are you raising money for annually and

how can you talk about that?o How do those messages permeate all your camp

communications?

From Camp Needs to Donor InterestPenelope Burk (Donor-Centered Fundraising®) says donors want: Prompt, personalized acknowledgment

of their gifts Confirmation that their gifts have been

put to work as intended Measurable results of their gifts prior to

being asked for another

From a Select Few to Broad Participation

o 100 % Board participationo 100% Parent participationo 100% Year-round staff participationo How do you focus on broadening the donor base

without taking time away from the top 25 donors?

o How does having broad participation lead to a culture of philanthropy?

From Competing Needs to A Coordinated Effort

1. Chanukah Gelt2. Annual mail appeal3. Event tickets4. Scholarship appeal5. Alumni appeal6. Major gifts solicitation

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SeptemberDonor welcome

back letter9/16 Committee

Meeting

OctoberCommunity Event

Face to Face Cultivation Meetings begin with Top 10

10/23 Committee MeetingDevelopment packet complete

NovemberMajor gift

Assignments Complete

E-Bulletin

11/4 Solicitation Training

DecemberChanukah

Direct Mail out 12/12

12/10Committee Meeting

January

Event invite out 1/16Tier 1 solicitations complete

*Letter to parents and grandparents re Feb event

1/15 Committee Meeting

February

2/28 Donor Recog. Event ($1800+)

2/18 Committee Meeting

MarchE-Bulletin

Tier 2 Solicitations Complete

3/22 Committee Meeting

AprilPesach Direct Mail 4/1

Cultivations Meetings IIGrandparent Event

4/26

MayCamp. clean-up

(phonation)Tier 3 Solicitations

Complete5/19 Committee Meeting

JuneEnd of Year thank you

letter to donors

6/9 Committee Meeting

July

(year in review)

Cultivations Meetings III

7/21 Committee Meeting

AugustCampaign Calendar

set for ‘11-’12Community Event

Invite Out

E-bulletin

Writing A Detailed PlanConstituency Group1. Financial Goal2. Non-Financial Goal

Ask Strategy Participation Cultivation Timing Key Messages Stewardship Tracking/Evaluation

Workgroups

The Road to Annual Campaign Recovery

Symptom

Diagnosis

Short Term TreatmentLong Term Therapy

Example

Your camp relies on one event for the majority of its annual campaign revenue.

Symptom

Example

There is not a strong culture of philanthropy at this camp. By relying on events to drive giving, they are not focusing on building relationships with donors.

Diagnosis

Example

Keep the Gala but use it as a recognition event, solicit all major donors face-to-face before the event and use the ad journal as a place to recognize that support. Ask board members to serve as ambassadors at the event and give specific cultivation assignments

Short Term Treatment

Example

Camp discontinues annual event and moves to a strategic annual campaign plan that includes major gifts. Through the early solicitation of major donors and strategic stewardship, the school is able to raise more money than when they were tied to the gala.

Long Term Therapy