Fundraising for Departments 101 John T. Snow School of Meteorology The University of Oklahoma 1

Funding a University State appropriations to base(↓) Tuition Recovery of Indirect Costs from grants/contracts Royalties and license income “Gifts” 2

Know the Rules and Key Players at your University President Vice-President for Development/Institutional Advancement Dean University Foundation These folks can be helpful but they have their own agendas Live within the rules 3

Sources of Donations Alumni Industry Foundations Others (friends, students and their families, faculty) 4

Its all about relationship building The base on which most fundraising takes place Know your alumni and your friends in industry – Takes a lot of time and effort – Long term payoff First step is Connect – Face-to-face is best, but continuous contact through newsletters, monthly notes, etc… are important Understand donor interests and capacity for gifts Must be proactive and forever positive; appearances matter 5

Things to do Have a plan – A “development plan” should be part of a department’s strategic plan – Priority matrix Foster a sense of giving among today’s students – Senior class gift, thank you letters to sponsors, … Involve alumni – Alumni boards, homecoming events, job fairs, seminars, lunches and dinners at meetings – Alumni can be important entre to major industry 6

Alumni (and friends) boards Need to develop a charter with a clear statement of expectations balanced with a high degree of independence – Individuals must pay own way (perhaps with some exceptions) – Meet three or four times a year – Must have real involvement in program Chair needs to have fund-raising skills – Marketing and fundraising committee Alumni recognition program 7

Industry boards Again, need to develop a charter with a clear statement of expectations Limited alumni involvement, but may be key people Try for folks at VP, senior manager level  can make funding decisions Will initially focus on curriculum, time to degree, placement, costs of education Acquaint with faculty/research in progress  help build a “brand” for the department Recognition program (leader in the field, etc…) 8

Recognize potential donors have a range of interests Students (particularly undergraduates) – Often the main focus of industry Libraries and other collections Field camp Certain disciplinary areas Art Gifts in kind (careful – can you afford the gift?; donor may have unrealisic expectation; may simply be seeking a tax write off) 9

Donor expectations Accountability  was the donation used for the purpose intended? Thanks  were appropriate thank you letters sent? Recognition  plaques, luncheon, invitations to speak (for major gifts, never ends so long as the donor is alive)  people like their names on things and like to show those named spaces to family and friends 10

(Relatively) Easy to do Student (small scholarships) Student awards (end of year ceremony) Student travel to professional meetings, field camps Graduation events 11

Hard to do Gifts for routine expenses – Carpet and paint, furniture; standard class room items – Unrestricted funds for the Chair Amounts > $10K 12

Major Gifts Faculty position endowment – professorships and chairs New buildings, major facilities New and novel things (particularly true with foundations) Any/all of the above usually requires getting attention of the University administration  what are the President’s strategic goals for the institution and how can the department make a major contribution to meeting them? 13

Concluding comments The departments which are most successful in fund raising are those which are prominent w/i their institution and discipline  known for excellence in education and a few well defined research areas; contribute to institutional goals; have the support their alumni and the industries that employ their graduates A circular challenge! Students are a major asset, now and when they are graduates 14

Ideas to try Student telethons (need a particular goal) Name rooms, faculty offices - $10K to $25k – Half for immediate use, half to Foundation for future use Gifts in honor of retiring faculty Arrange for donation by credit card via the departmental web site (work you university foundation)  small amounts, but follow up all such donations as quickly as possible with thank you, even a phone call 15

Good Luck! “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill 16