A university situated in South Florida will fund its $500M strategic plan over a 3-phased campaign approach.
Impact:
A university situated in South Florida will fund its $500M strategic plan over a 3-phased campaign approach.
Summary of work:
Implementation of a Major Gift Program over 9-months; Campaign Planning for all 3-phases and Campaign Feasibility Study for Phase 1 over 7-months; Silent Phase Campaign Leadership and concurrent Campaign Feasibility Study for Phase 2 over 18-months.
Deliverables:
Recommendations around how to build capacity within the development operation with portfolios created for the president, executive vice president, and all frontline fundraisers; Implementation of Prospect Moves Management System; Comprehensive report of recommendations with campaign strategy for a multi-phased approach, including timeline and feasible goal; top prospect detailed strategy; Continued strategy sessions with president and executive vice president, and leadership in campaign leadership committee meetings; Role in activating the Board of Trustees and leveraging relationship connectivity.
GPG works with a university in South Florida who has welcomed a new president with an entrepreneurial and visionary mindset. Through understanding both the university and the opportunities within South Florida, the president crafted a vision which prioritizes business, health sciences, and the arts. Without a significant history of major and principal gift fundraising, the university engaged GPG to help plan for a sustainable development program -- both to fuel these initiatives and to propel the university into ongoing, annual fundraising efforts.
Working alongside the executive vice president for advancement, GPG helped to build a major gifts program with frontline fundraisers that involved right-sized portfolios, systematic and deliberate processes to move and track relationships, and training on best practices in making solicitations.
As the president's vision was solidified and support awarded by the board, GPG transitioned into campaign planning to interview the first cohort of prospective supporters -- focusing first on the business school initiative but sharing the fuller vision of the university allowed for the firm to proceed with a multi phased approach while still testing the greater constituency for any potential support. The feasibility study affirmed the 3-phased campaign approach, and led to a report around further development needs, and a detailed roadmap to follow for a business school campaign including the goal, lead gift strategies, timeline for both this phase and to transition into a second phase, and the role of the board members. At this time, GPG offered regular feedback to the president and executive vice president, and began to make recommendations on marketing tools and messaging necessary to effectively communicate the project.
As the silent phase of the campaign began with a lead $26M gift, the planning began for both the public launch of the first phase, and the feasibility study for phase two. GPG serves as a lead for campaign leadership committee meetings, and among the advancement team to set campaign solicitation strategies. Because campaigns are successful on the back of successful major gift work, continuing to hold prospect moves management meetings has been the highest priority. Working closely and consistently with the president has allowed for activity at the highest level to be executed regularly by the president and executive vice president. GPG not only proposes strategies and makes recommendations around asks, but provides tools that can be used to secure meetings, document information, and track all campaign activity, ensuring an attainable workload for those who are relied upon to make asks and lead the initiative.
When campaigns have multiple phases, it's imperative to engage the programmatic leadership within each area and educate them on the campaign process and their specific roles. GPG has worked closely with academic leadership across campus to understand needs, support conversations, and train partners to help engage donors.