Starting an Annual Giving Leadership Circle: Preparation & Execution Heather Ashley Assoc. Dir. Annual Giving & Alumni Affairs UF College of Engineering

OVERVIEW University of Florida – About 50,000 students – More than 367,000 alumni – Boasts 16 Colleges UF Engineering – Largest professional school, 2 nd largest unit for student enrollment, 3 rd largest research unit – 8,700 + students 5,813 undergraduate 2,961 graduate – 9 comprehensive departments Interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes – 45,000 + living alumni – Produced 1% of all engineers that graduated last spring

ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM UF has central, integrated “unit” devoted to annual giving for university and colleges – Direct Mail – Phone Campaign – Online Giving – s

DEAN’S LEADERSHIP CIRCLE TIMELINE Started research – Fall 2011 – Assessed data & looked for areas of interest Develop case statements, inserts & layout – Early Spring 2012 Final layout to designer – Summer 2012 Group Mailing – Last week of Sept 2012

THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS What? Why? Who? When?

WHAT? Program criteria: -Purpose -Exclusivity -Strategic Alignment

WHY? Increase Alumni Giving (impact rankings) -Annual average gift (ranked 3 rd at UF – FY12) -Annual giving percentage (ranked 12 th at UF – FY12) Message Dean’s strategic plan/vision Increase funding for specific area/fund - Student Life Fund Declining state budgets Build pipeline for next campaign - Identification/Qualification

WHO? -Alumni 45-55

WHO? -Alumni Females

Giving to Engineering by Gender 10

WHO? -Alumni Females -Parents

-Alumni Females -Parents -Advisory Boards o Members had 21% annual giving participation rate prior to program  Individual appeal message for each group WHO?

Important milestones College 100 years 50 th Reunion 25 th Reunion Calendar Year End Dean Change Special events/reunion weekends WHEN?

MILESTONE SUCCESSES Dollars Pledged/Raised – $50,000  4 Weeks – $100,000  6 Weeks – $150,000  7 Weeks – $200,000  18 Weeks – $250,000  TBD ($240,503 as of June 3, 2013) Alumni Giving (to Engineering) Increased – Average gift ($ – FY 13 $ – FY 12) – Dollars raised ($397,520 – FY 13 $266,344 – FY 12 ) Average Pledge: $1,791 Average Gift: $790 Dollars In the Door: $94,086

MILESTONE SUCCESSES Parent Participation – 6% participation rate Overall 5% participation rate in Leadership Circle – Average giving percentage increased (currently 9 th ) Increased Board Participation – 44% annual giving (up from 21%) Increase in Female Giving – 3% Participation rate in Leadership Circle

MILESTONE SUCCESSES Allows for segmentation Reinforce Dean’s Message Increase in amount of pledges Displayed advisory board support to Dean and UF administration Department Collaboration

CHALLENGES 1 st ever leadership circle program – No established mindset of philanthropy Staffing for stewardship & data analysis Lengthy process to develop effective program 8 th largest University in country (based on enrollment #) – Lots of units competing for same people Highly ranked units and alums with multiple degrees so affinity can be limited

BEST PRACTICES Research your alumni base  look for gaps & holes Research peer schools and at least 1-2 non- peer schools Department Collaboration – Can give to dept unrestricted fund Keep benefits small but meaningful— access, access, access

NEXT STEPS Online Giving Form Further Segmentation of Parents – Retention efforts 50 th Reunion Class Gift Continued Solicitation of Females

THANK YOU!