Your annual fund is the foundation of all your other fund-raising efforts at your school. This month, Phil Higginson, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement, and Penny Rogers, Director of Communications, both from Ravenscroft School (NC), tackle a question about donor categories and benefits.
Q: Should our school have a category in the annual fund where a donor at this level becomes exempt from being solicited for any other activity/event on campus and also receives sponsorship benefits from those other events?
A: While schools should have a donor-centered philanthropy program, this does not necessarily mean that “one ask fits all” is best for meeting the needs of individual constituents. Solicitations of any type—whether in-kind auction donations or annual fund gifts—should be coordinated through the Advancement Office to ensure a well-organized and appropriately timed effort. Doing so will not only help protect your donors from solicitation fatigue, but will also allow advancement professionals to best match a donor’s passions with school needs.
However, a program designed to make a single ask to corporations is an excellent way to recognize those donors through multiple avenues, going far beyond the traditional annual report listing or sponsor banner at a single event. This approach will also appeal to corporations as it is geared toward corporate marketing as much as it is toward corporate giving. Schools with multitiered and dynamic philanthropy programs will also find that it allows greater corporate donor stewardship opportunities. Instead of peppering your most loyal corporate donors with small asks throughout the school year, you can instead center your attention on how best to recognize and involve them on a meaningful level at philanthropic events and community activities.
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