Lessons for All Nonprofits
What makes a university campaign different than any other nonprofit organization's capital?
Complexity.
For many nonprofits a capital campaign will be focused on the need for a new building. For a university with 5 to 10 schools, an athletics department, student services, scholarship needs, libraries, art galleries, museums, etc. a capital campaign must be comprehensive enough to include all divisions that have authentic constituencies and visions for a better future.
A typical comprehensive university campaign will include some buildings (usually more than one), annual operating support, immediate scholarships, endowed scholarships, endowed faculty chairs, and speical initiatives.
There are great lessons for all nonprofit canmpaigns. Even though your primary need is for a building, why not include 3 to 5 years worth of annual fund support, endowments for building maintenance (some private universities requirea 25% of the building cost endowment for operations and maintenance), endowment projects for programs, and special project funding for strategic plan initiatives.
These opportunities give a big picture to the funds you are raising over 3 to 5 years (many university campaigns run 5 to 8 years) and therefore raise the sights of potential donors. Giving $1 million to a $5 million building is one thing, while giving $3 million to a comprehensive $10 million campaign is another (the $5 million building is still the key aspect).
What makes a university campaign different than any other nonprofit organization's capital?
Complexity.
For many nonprofits a capital campaign will be focused on the need for a new building. For a university with 5 to 10 schools, an athletics department, student services, scholarship needs, libraries, art galleries, museums, etc. a capital campaign must be comprehensive enough to include all divisions that have authentic constituencies and visions for a better future.
A typical comprehensive university campaign will include some buildings (usually more than one), annual operating support, immediate scholarships, endowed scholarships, endowed faculty chairs, and speical initiatives.
There are great lessons for all nonprofit canmpaigns. Even though your primary need is for a building, why not include 3 to 5 years worth of annual fund support, endowments for building maintenance (some private universities requirea 25% of the building cost endowment for operations and maintenance), endowment projects for programs, and special project funding for strategic plan initiatives.
These opportunities give a big picture to the funds you are raising over 3 to 5 years (many university campaigns run 5 to 8 years) and therefore raise the sights of potential donors. Giving $1 million to a $5 million building is one thing, while giving $3 million to a comprehensive $10 million campaign is another (the $5 million building is still the key aspect).
Permanent Link: University Capital Campaigns
http://majorgiftsguru.com/2008/12/university-capital-campaigns.html
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