Starting an Annual Giving Leadership Circle:Preparation & Execution

Heather AshleyAssoc. Dir. Annual Giving & Alumni Affairs

UF College of Engineering

OVERVIEW• University of Florida

– About 50,000 students– More than 367,000 alumni– Boasts 16 Colleges

• UF Engineering – Largest professional school, 2nd largest unit for student enrollment, 3rd

largest research unit– 8,700 + students

• 5,813 undergraduate• 2,961 graduate

– 9 comprehensive departments• Interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes

– 45,000 + living alumni – Produced 1% of all engineers that graduated last spring

ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM

• UF has central, integrated “unit” devoted to annual giving for university and colleges – Direct Mail– Phone Campaign– Online Giving– Emails

DEAN’S LEADERSHIP CIRCLETIMELINE

• Started research – Fall 2011– Assessed data & looked for areas of interest

• Develop case statements, inserts & layout – Early Spring 2012

• Final layout to designer – Summer 2012• Group Mailing – Last week of Sept 2012

THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

• What?• Why?• Who?• When?

WHAT?• Program

criteria:- Purpose- Exclusivity- Strategic

Alignment

WHY?• Increase Alumni Giving (impact rankings)

- Annual average gift (ranked 3rd at UF – FY12)- Annual giving percentage (ranked 12th at UF – FY12)

• Message Dean’s strategic plan/vision• Increase funding for specific area/fund

- Student Life Fund • Declining state budgets • Build pipeline for next campaign

- Identification/Qualification

WHO?

- Alumni 45-55

WHO? - Alumni

45-55- Females

Giving to Engineering by Gender

10

WHO?- Alumni 45 - 55- Females- Parents

- Alumni 45 - 55- Females- Parents- Advisory Boards

o Members had 21% annual giving participation rate prior to program

Individual appeal message for each group

WHO?

• Important milestones • College 100 years • 50th Reunion• 25th Reunion• Calendar Year End• Dean Change

• Special events/reunion weekends

WHEN?

MILESTONE SUCCESSES• Dollars Pledged/Raised

– $50,000 4 Weeks– $100,000 6 Weeks– $150,000 7 Weeks– $200,000 18 Weeks– $250,000 TBD ($240,503 as of June 3, 2013)

• Alumni Giving (to Engineering) Increased – Average gift ($182.01 – FY 13 $119.81 – FY 12)– Dollars raised ($397,520 – FY 13 $266,344 – FY 12)

Average Pledge: $1,791Average Gift: $790Dollars In the Door: $94,086

MILESTONE SUCCESSES• Parent Participation

– 6% participation rate

• Overall 5% participation rate in Leadership Circle– Average giving percentage increased (currently 9th)

• Increased Board Participation – 44% annual giving (up from 21%)

• Increase in Female Giving – 3% Participation rate in Leadership Circle

MILESTONE SUCCESSES• Allows for segmentation• Reinforce Dean’s Message• Increase in amount of pledges• Displayed advisory board support to Dean and

UF administration• Department Collaboration

CHALLENGES• 1st ever leadership circle program– No established mindset of philanthropy

• Staffing for stewardship & data analysis• Lengthy process to develop effective program• 8th largest University in country (based on

enrollment #)– Lots of units competing for same people• Highly ranked units and alums with multiple degrees so

affinity can be limited

BEST PRACTICES• Research your alumni base look for gaps &

holes• Research peer schools and at least 1-2 non-

peer schools• Department Collaboration– Can give to dept unrestricted fund

• Keep benefits small but meaningful—access, access, access

NEXT STEPS• Online Giving Form • Further Segmentation of Parents– Retention efforts

• 50th Reunion Class Gift• Continued Solicitation of

Females

THANK YOU!hashley@eng.ufl.edu

352-392-6795