2. Creating a Culture of Philanthropy through your Capital Campaign
Alicia Favata, Director of Advancement, Delta Zeta
Elizabeth Kohler Knuppel, President & CEO, Skystone Partners
29 August 2017

3. What is a Culture of Philanthropy?
What you want your alumni/ae to participate in to enhance their giving to your Foundation.
The learned and shared behavior of a community of interacting human beings.

4. What We Seek to Achieve
For our constituents, alumni/ae and other donors to learn and share the behavior of financial giving in each of our Greek organizations.

5. What is Philanthropy? The goodwill to promote human welfare.
A gift or act done made for humanitarian purposes.

6. Giving to Delta Zeta – The Situation
In 2013, Delta Zeta Foundation undertook a study to develop a plan for a major fundraising campaign to endow a newly developed member development program for $3.5 million.

7. The Findings Very high loyalty. High confidence in leadership.
Low level of personal connection with Sorority or Foundation leaders.
Lacking availability of Foundation/fundraising volunteer corps.
Lack of urgency relative to the fundraising process among staff and volunteer leaders.
Reticence among interviewees about proposed campaign goal.

8. The Realistic Solution
A goal of $3.5 million dedicated solely to endowment of a member development program was beyond the capacity of the Foundation at that time.
A goal of $3.5 million was attainable if the Foundation launched a campaign that included both annual gifts and sizeable gifts to support the member development program.
A campaign of $1.5 million in annual support and $2 million for member development over three years was recommended.

9. The Results and How We Got There
Delta Zeta Foundation is nearing its goal and will very likely exceed it before the end of the campaign in June There is more awareness and a more robust culture of philanthropy, but there is still work to be done.

10. The Results and How We Got There
Our current and former National Council and Foundation Trustees participated at unprecedented levels.
We began with our best prospects first and used our best technique – personal solicitation.
Current and former Sorority and Foundation board members were recruited to serve on a national campaign board giving committee.
Committee members selected their own prospects – prospects were asked by friends who are peers.
The importance and urgency of supporting young women prepare for their futures brought volunteers and donors to our organization together.
Requests included a specific dollar amount.

11. The Results and How We Got There
Previously non-donors or smaller donors have increased their giving significantly.
Average gift per donor to the Foundation are up by 43% from FY14 to FY17.
We used focused alumnae area campaigns on personal connections between committee members and alumnae to encourage giving.

12. The Results and How We Got There
Of eight alumnae area campaigns, we had four that were particularly successful: Louisville, Southern California, Houston and Atlanta.
Built on vibrant alumnae connections.
Area chair was a connector, willing to work and make the time.
Brought alumnae together to rally them around the organization’s current need.
Reinvigorated enthusiasm among prospects and donors with a mix of nostalgia and forward thinking.

13. What We Learned Not every area will be a winner.
Data must be tempered by personal knowledge of the area/prospects and connections.
If there is an existing active alumni/ae group – formal or informal – build on those connections. They are current and REAL.
If you have difficulty recruiting a leader, it’s o.k. to let that area go.
Failure is o.k. Just learn from it.

14. How Do We Sustain and Grow? What’s Next for Delta Zeta?
Alumnae area campaign postmortems are evaluated to build and develop a stronger relationships based on past behavior.
Communicate Sorority and Foundation progress, and how that relates to contributions.
Celebrate success often.
Actively include volunteers in stewardship with donors.
Integrate all giving programs to honor contributions and build a funnel to develop a more significant MG& PG program.

15. How Do We Sustain and Grow? What’s Next for Delta Zeta?
You need a Major Gifts program, and now is the time to start!
Help everyone in your organization think like a fundraiser!

16. Developing a Culture of Philanthropy
What can your organization do?

17. Developing a Culture of Philanthropy
Q & A

18. Alicia Favata, Director of Advancement
Delta Zeta Sorority and Foundation
Elizabeth Kohler Knuppel Skystone Partners