Developing a timetable for a college fund-raising campaign may be critical to success. Planning involves deciding what tasks to include, how to prioritize and schedule them, and how much time to allot, based on task requirements, institutional size/complexity, experience. Other factors include campus climate, board style, systems readiness, and…

The challenge for fund raising for fine arts programs is to draw the needed donors from the general community. More and more institutions are showing off their institutions' cultural achievements and attracting recognition for them. (MSE)

The long-range planning strategy used at the University of the Redlands to boost alumni program productivity and increase the program budget is outlined. The effort consisted of a series of planning weekends and a number of subtle strategies to justify added resources. (MSE)

This article presents five basic guidelines for initiating a successful alumni merchandising program: (1) shop around for the best vendor; (2) decide what to sell; (3) manage merchandise properly; (4) watch out for risky business; and (5) get what you pay for. (MDM)

The president of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education talks about why college advancement officers need to rethink, restructure, and communicate better about their fund-raising campaigns, in light of public perceptions that the institutions are greedy and not managing resources efficiently. Emphasis is on carefully defining…

An estate planning seminar is a personal and cost-effective tool for alerting college constituents to a financial opportunity. Such seminars are not hard to coordinate, are a service to alumni and friends, and may bring long-term benefits to college and participants. Experiences at a number of colleges illustrate diverse approaches. (MSE)

Basic principles of designing a reunion gift program include beginning small, researching class prospects, gathering volunteers, determining the financial goal, communicating needs and intentions, organizing volunteers, advertising well, and making the donation at the reunion a major event. More ambitious plans can be tied into the program later.…

Steps in developing a major college donor weekend program are outlined, including goal setting; tailoring events to reflect the best the institution has to offer; drafting an appropriate guest list; calculating costs; dealing with common problems such as low attendance, damaging media coverage, and guest list errors; and getting feedback. (MSE)

The University of Notre Dame (Indiana) fund-raising program uses first-class transportation and hospitality in major donor weekends. Features include careful research, personalized correspondence, transportation provided by trustee-owned private planes, scheduled ground transportation, accommodations, information packets, and a weekend of…

Fund-raising campaign experience at the University of Iowa Foundation suggests that attention to three planning areas (the intended audience, budget, and project requirements) and seven kinds of materials (campaign name and logo, case statement, letterhead, pledge form, return envelope, folder, and carrier envelope) facilitate program…

Guidelines for managing fund-raising programs are presented including: recognize variability of costs, understand salaries as major cost, compare institution only with its peers, manage volunteers well, allocate enough resources for the long-range development of young alumni and planned giving, pursue endowment gifts, etc. (MLW)

Parents represent a major but largely neglected source of annual, capital, and deferred gifts. An important dividend of any effective parents program will be the volunteers it turns up. These volunteers can help with fund raising. (MLW)

Discusses the components of strategic planning in developing a fund-raising campaign for a college or university. Emphasizes the importance of setting priorities, and defines the characteristics of good priorities, such as boldness, being grounded in the institution's mission, and culminating in visible results. Includes a case study of the…

Large, flashy college fund drives may be falling out of favor with alumni and friends of the institution. Advancement professionals recount their experiences and suggest ways to adapt campaigns to new needs and environments. Inherent problems with large campaigns are enumerated, and the importance of clear communication to audiences on and off…

Alumni leaders should be included in a school or college capital campaign drive. The alumni office can help find prospects, provide events and programs for fund raising, promote the campaign, involve alumni staff members. Alumni themselves can assist in campaign planning and inspire others to give by donating themselves. (MSE)