A well-thought-out and data-driven annual giving program is the foundation for your school’s culture of giving. It sets the tone for the shared values, practices, attitudes, and goals that characterize your school.
The annual fund also provides an opportunity for your team to better understand prospective donors and uncover prospects who will emerge as major contributors to future campaigns.
Building an exciting and inspiring annual giving program can be overwhelming. Where do you start?
Core Elements of a Successful Annual Giving Program
Strategic Board
The Board sets the goals and provides leadership for your annual giving efforts through 100% participation.
Leadership
The individuals who lead your fundraising efforts must ensure their plan is in line with the school’s financial plan. This group must also define a strategy that all participants, including volunteers, understand.
Case for Giving
Your school has a unique mission and a story behind it. Making the connection between your donors’ interests and values and your school community inspires a desire to support that mission. Your school has a voice, and your solicitation letters should capture donors’ attention with that voice.
Prospects and Donors
You also need to consider how well you know your existing and prospective donors. Do you know where they are in the donor cycle and how to move them along to successful solicitation? Continued communication outside campaigns is vital to your relationship with donors.
Plan of Action
Finally, there must be a viable plan of action. This plan will set the strategy and standards for your annual giving program. It will answer the questions about what is needed to accomplish your goals, who will be responsible for each part of the process, what the timeline is, how much it will cost, and of course, where that money comes from.
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Soliciting the Entire Community
Cultivation is 10% of your work when it comes to annual giving. The remaining 90% of your effort is solicitation.
You might find the most willing donors are your current and alumni families. They already believe in your mission; they have chosen to send their child to your institution.
Soliciting for annual giving is also an opportunity to prospect for major gifts and future campaigns. You’ll get to know your donors and see who you could approach for other areas of giving. Don’t overlook this opportunity to better understand your community’s needs and values.
Annual Means Year-After-Year
When you create a habit of giving, people become heavily invested in your school’s mission and its success. Annual giving opens opportunities to continuously converse with the community about your school’s values and grow the investment from donors and families who can support at leadership giving levels.
Annual giving produces a potential for greater gifts.
Making the most of annual giving requires preparation, leadership, cooperation, and continuous communication with the school community. The benefits are not just funds raised for the school mission. You will instill a culture of giving that supports your school’s students year after year.
