MIDWEST “MEETING OF THE MINDS”
Building a Donor-Centric Annual Giving
Program in a Decentralized WorldPeter Moes – Director of Annual Giving, University of Utah
WHO IS IN THE ROOM?
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Annual Giving and/or Another Area?
Decentralized, Centralized, Hybrid, Highly Decentralized, all of the above?
Does it depend on channel?
Is your program donor-centric?
Higher Education or Independent School (K-12)?
CENTRALIZED, DECENTRALIZED, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
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CHARACTERISTICS OF A DONOR-CENTRIC ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM
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I want to support the Women’s Resource Center
Degree Area 1
Athletics
Scholarships Fund
Degree Area 2
Annual Fund
Student Affairs
VS
DONOR-CENTRIC: TO BE OR NOT TO BE?
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Is a 100% donor-centric annual giving program empowering and engaging the donor or putting crucial unrestricted funds at risk?
WHAT IS PREVENTING A DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH?
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Workload & Staffing
Academic Deans - in a decentralized environment
The traditional “Annual Fund”• An institution’s reliance
on unrestricted funds
Logistics & Data
KEYS TO A DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH IN A DECENTRALIZED WORLD
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A donor-centric model is built on trust across the institution and respect for your donors
• Frequent and transparent communication• Become the expert• Be a resource
Support from leadership
• Clearly set expectations• Show results – make sure you have time to prove yourself• Budget to succeed
KEYS TO A DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH IN A DECENTRALIZED WORLD
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And/Or… Outlast the Opposition
DON’T DELETE THE UNRESTRICTED FUND
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Creating a donor-centric program is not forcing a donor to choose a restricted fund, it is giving the donor the opportunity to make the impact they are passionate about.
• For some, that is supporting the annual fund
INSTILLING THE DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
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“Central” Annual Giving
c. 2008 c. 2019
• 18 Schools & Colleges• 1 Hospital and all the
medical departments• Pac-12 Athletics• 1 Cancer Center• 1 Eye Center• 2 Museums• 1 Arboretum• Public Broadcasting
(NPR & PBS)• 2 Professional Theatres
INSTILLING THE DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
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Director
AG Manager: Phonathon
Student Calling Staff
Director
Asst Director: Participation & Communication
AG Manager: Digital
Engagement
Asst Director: Stewardship & Engagement
AG Manager: Philanthropy
Center
Student Calling Staff
Advancement Officer(s)
Director
AG SpecialistAG Specialist: Philanthropy
Center
Student Calling Staff
2008 - 2012 2013 - 2018 2019 2020
HOW DID THE U GO “DONOR-CENTRIC”
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We Boiled Frogs Led with Carrots(sometimes sticks)
Became the group on campus that could solve problems, be agile, and get things done.
DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH BY PHONE
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2008 - 2014 2015 - 2016 2017 - present
Fall
Spring
College Alumni & Parents
College Alumni, Ancillary Units & Sr.
Parents
Unrestricted Scholarships &
Parents
College Alumni, Ancillary Units & Sr.
Parents
Affiliation & Giving History
Affiliation & Giving History
As a result of moving away from college-based segmentation we also reduced the number of times we were calling a person/home
DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH BY MAIL
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2008 - 2014 2015 2016 - 2017
Central Annual Giving allocated budget to
campus areas to execute direct mail.
Worked with a vendor and partnered with a
large college that willing to test a more
robust direct mail schedule.
Increasing direct mail efforts based on best practices and asking
individual college areas to participate.
A well-designed reply slip is crucial to executing donor-centric direct mail. • All allocation options are based on a donor’s previous giving and affiliation with the institution.
Each piece has the option to support unrestricted scholarships (administrations’ top priority).
All direct mail executed from central Annual Giving at no cost to the individual campus areas.
2018 - present
Publishing a fiscal year direct mail calendar and
asking areas if they want to opt out based
on piece. Having to turn down request to
execute college specific direct mail pieces.
DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH - DIGITAL
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Through email and online efforts, how do you mimic the personalized giving options you’re able to do on a reply slip?
• Discouraging “annual funds” on giving day
• Email based on audience interests versus generic blasts
• Tell your story with through different mediums – email, social media, video
DONOR-CENTRIC APPROACH -STEWARDSHIP
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Use variable text to personalize your stewardship pieces based on segments
• Monthly Donors• Leadership Levels• Faculty/Staff
People notice – make sure your text is applicable to your audience
No good deed goes unpunished
CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY
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Appealing to a wide audience• Academics• Arts• Athletics• Health Care
Time investment vs people-hours
Data & Personalization• Row by row data cleansing• Donors to multiple areas
• What to do if one area opts out
Generic & Boring
CAMPUS AREAS’ CONCERNS
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Donor Fatigue
Stealing “my” donors
You don’t know “my” donors / college
You’re ruining my annual giving plan
Our Response: • Teamwork makes the dream work
THIS WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT…
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Rachel Robertson, Assistant Director of Annual Giving: Participation & Communication
QUESTIONS
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