1. “Friend raising”
“People give to people” is the conventional wisdom in fundraising. Donors
respond to a personal relationship when choosing where to make their
contributions. Universities have an advantage because many alumni have a bond
with particular faculty.
Some people contribute out of a sense of gratitude. Again, universities have an advantage because many students credit their college education with giving them the tools for success. And, many, appreciative of their scholarships, are inclined to create or contribute to scholarships.
It’s your job as head to encourage these personal relationships between alumni and you (and other department faculty, especially senior faculty). Typical tools are your newsletter and special events that bring alumni to campus. Be creative. Alumni can go to football games, or they can serve on a career advisory panel, introduce a seminar speaker or participate in a scholarship awards program. Be careful. These relationships can be time consuming and costly! But, chosen carefully, they can be lots of fun and financially rewarding.
When you travel on business, visit alumni, or host a reception, call the contacts listed above to identify alumni in a specific geographic area and to inquire about monetary support.
Please nominate alumni for A&S and UW awards. Watch for announcements requesting nominations (see Nominations). But alert the development office of potential nominees at any time.
2. Stewardship
The Foundation Office issues weekly gift reports to the colleges. When your
department has received a financial gift, the Dean’s Office forwards a copy of
the gift report. Thank the donor! Acknowledge all gifts in writing ASAP;
a phone call for larger donations is wise. Write a letter you can use as a template for your thank you letters, then revise
it annually. Include examples of how gift money is used. Impact is compelling. Some gifts
deserve a more personal thank you. Call the donor.
In addition to a department’s acknowledgment, the Dean’s Office will also send written acknowledgment. For gifts of $250 or more, the Dean’s Office will also phone donors. The Dean’s thanks are in addition to the department’s, not in place of.
People who give scholarships appreciate hearing about the scholarship recipients.
The Dean’s Office requires a thank-you letter from its A&S scholarship recipients. We ask them to write “care of” the Dean’s Office, and the dean forwards the letters with his own cover letter. We recommends that departments follow a similar procedure for departmental scholarships.
The UW Foundation is the fundraising arm of the university and handles all financial matters related to gifts. The Foundation provides institutional leadership and support to the University’s fundraising efforts. It also manages the Foundation Board, whose members are the key volunteer leaders in the University’s fundraising efforts.
The Foundation has fundraising specialists for annual giving, planned giving, corporate gifts, major events, and national outreach.
1. Accounts
With few exceptions, gifts for all university units are held by the Foundation
in separate accounts. Departments have discretionary accounts and other
designated accounts, as appropriate. Accounts may be expendable or endowed. To
be endowed (only the interest is available for spending), a fund must have a
minimum initial commitment of $25,000. An endowed fund is created with a trust
agreement that outlines its specific uses, the donors, etc. Funds received for
discretionary accounts are taxed once at 5 percent, while endowed accounts are
charged a 1 percent annual management fee.
The Foundation maintains the accounts and issues a monthly report. A monthly report on all the other Foundation accounts in A&S is sent to the Dean's Office. Each department is forwarded its section. It is essential to review those reports regularly. If you do not catch mistakes, it is unlikely that anyone will.
2. Gift records
The Foundation maintains gift records. If a gift is sent directly to your department,
forward it promptly to the Foundation Office so the donor gets credit
(tax and otherwise) for the gift. Be sure it’s clear where the gift should go,
i.e., discretionary fund, the Joe Smith Scholarship, etc.
3. Alumni database
The Foundation maintains a database of alumni and friends. Please help keep
these data current by sending all address changes and other pertinent
information to the Foundation. Lists for alumni and donor mailings may be
requested from the Foundation using its Data Request Form.
4. Annual
Fund
The Foundation conducts the Annual Fund, which seeks to raise money for the
discretionary funds in the departments, colleges, and other UW entities. Donors
have the option of specifying where their gifts will go. Personal contact, mail,
and student callers solicit annual funds. To assist the Foundation’s staff in
their solicitation and cultivation, A&S creates a page of talking points that
highlights accomplishments, the impact of previous philanthropy, and the
fundraising priorities within A&S.
Departments should solicit their own alumni through a solicitation letter and/or in a newsletter. Be sure to let the Dean's Office know your plans, help you design a pledge card, and get an access code from the Foundation. (This enables gifts to be easily tracked). Please send a newsletter and a solicitation letter each academic year.
5. Major Gifts
Guidelines for major gifts and
naming opportunities are drafted by Old Main and communicated through the
Foundation. (see
Naming Criteria) (see
Gifts and EEO)
6. Campaigns
Major gifts campaigns seek to raise substantial additional money for specified
projects. The
A&S Case Statement, which discusses major gifts, is based on priorities
identified in UW’s Academic Plans. Developed in response to the Academic Plans,
the A&S Case Statement discusses major gifts as well as Arts and Sciences
highlights and goals.
7. Online giving
Gifts now may be made on the Web. Each department is expected to have the
"Giving on the Web" icon on its web page. Please call Ann O’Grady (6-4106) to receive a
copy of the “Giving on the Web” icon. Insert the icon on your Web site and
encourage your alumni to specify your department when making a gift. The
Foundation link takes donors through three simple steps. Be certain to list your
department’s fundraising goals and successes on your Web site.
Meet with the A&S Dean and Associate Dean at least once a year to:
·
Review your Foundation accounts
·
Identify potential major donors
·
Clarify your fundraising goals
·
Review stewardship of existing donors
·
Plan major gift strategies
·
Confirm or plan communication with alumni and donors
Know how philanthropy makes an impact. A brief list and an example or two of how gifts make a difference for your department and its students are helpful. Include this information in your letters and newsletters and post it on your web site. It can provide ideas for articles in A&S publications and talking points for you, the Dean, and Development.
These events reward academic achievement and strengthen bonds among students, faculty, and alumni. It’s important to host public events well. They thrive on faculty participation. Attend and bring your faculty.
· The Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation, held early each fall, recognizes undergraduates who were placed on the Dean’s, President’s, or Freshmen Honor Rolls. Students selected competitively by the A&S Scholarship Committee give brief talks about independent study projects. Nominate your outstanding students for this honor. Congratulate your honor roll majors and encourage them to attend. Encourage your faculty to attend with you. The Dean’s Office invites the families of the honor roll students and hosts a reception following the ceremony. Faculty are encouraged to wear academic regalia. They march in the procession as a group.
· A&S Awards Banquet is an early summer event to honor recipients of our Outstanding Alumni and Outstanding Former Faculty Awards. Nominations drive the process; committees of the Board of Visitors select the winners. Nominate your former colleagues and alumni. There are direct and indirect benefits to having winners from your department. Attend the banquet, especially when your department can claim an award recipient (see Nominations).
· Commencements are special events for students, and the college proudly hosts both December and May ceremonies. December commencement held in the A&S Auditorium and is geared toward those students who finish their degree program in the fall semester; May commencement held in the Arena Auditorium is primarily for those students who finish in May and August. Each commencement depends on the active involvement of our faculty and staff. Faculty are encouraged to wear academic regalia. They march in the procession as a group. During the ceremony faculty from each department form a reception line to congratulate their students as they exit the stage. Over the years, the majority of our departments add to the occasion by hosting receptions, picnics, etc., during commencement week in May. Department heads or their designees march with students and carry the department's standard.
· Homecoming provides the entire University with an opportunity to reconnect with alumni. A number of departments host receptions for visiting alumni. If you know of significant donors who plan to attend Homecoming, please be sure Development is aware; confer with Development on cultivation or stewardship strategies.
Reunions and receptions on campus or off provide opportunities to build and maintain relationships with alumni. Some departments host receptions at national conferences. Lecture series also provide opportunities to bring alumni back to campus. Alumni are also excellent resources for career advice. Please alert the Dean’s Office of any such activities. Development can assist in identifying and contacting prospective speakers, mentors, or advisors.
The BoV is a group of alumni and friends who support the college. Their responsibilities are to assist in fundraising, external relations, and student recruiting. At their request, we also have participation from a faculty liaison group consisting of heads from each A&S division. The BoV meets as a group twice a year, in the fall and in the spring (on the weekend of the Awards Banquet). Meetings include presentations and site visits so members get to know the various departments. All members make annual contributions to the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Board of Visitors sponsors a number of things:
Annual Awards Banquet, including Outstanding Alumni, Outstanding Former Faculty, and Heritage Award
Outstanding Service Awards for Students – one student from each department and program receives $100 and a certificate to acknowledge the students' volunteer service to their departments or programs;
Student Summer Independent Study Awards – funded by annual gifts to the A&S Special Gifts Fund and some individual endowments;
Study abroad awards of $1,000;
Student Travel to conferences or performances;
A&S Board of Visitors scholarships.