1. A Leadership Annual Giving Forum
Jenny Alstad Director, Annual Giving Programs

2. What is your program like?
Do you have an established leadership gift program?
Do annual giving staff carry portfolios?
Is leadership giving a priority at your institution?
Do you have a prospect research team?
What does your institution define as a leadership annual gift?

3. Agenda Why is Leadership Giving Important? CofC's Program Structure
Execution & Open Forum

4. Why is leadership giving important?

5. Over-Reliance on the Top
On average, the top 36 donors contribute 63% of annual fundraising revenue. So, who’s “on deck”? The average gift from biggest donors dropped 22%
Higher education is relying on the top of the gift pyramid. A small number of mega-gifts. 
Few institutions have a solid pipeline of those "on-deck"
Without a cohort of donors rising up the pyramid, institutions will find themselves unable to continue the current climate. 
Source: EAB- New Frontiers in Pipeline Development

6. Over-Reliance on the Top
At the same time- participation numbers are GOING DOWN
Source: EAB- New Frontiers in Pipeline Development

7. Enough To Go Around Source: EAB- New Frontiers in Pipeline Development
The lack of a pipeline has less to do with a dearth in prospects than with lack of cultivation. 
- 80% of high-potential prospects are uncultivated by MGOS!
Three ways to get to more prospects: 
- Increasing Prospect Covereage
- Accelerating Portfolio Churn
- Scaling Personalized Cultivation
Source: EAB- New Frontiers in Pipeline Development

8. Wealthy Prospects are Easier to Find than Ever
Source: EAB- New Frontiers in Pipeline Development

9. Annual Leadership Giving at College of Charleston

10. Evolution of Leadership Annual Giving at CofC
1,000+
March 2014
FY20
120
Began in Very similar to MGO role- just different type of prospects

11. Shift in Strategy: Current Structure
Executive Director Portfolio: 100
Director Portfolio: 200
Leadership Gift Officers (3) Portfolio
- AD, Integrated Marketing Strategies
Administrative Assistant
In 2018 we made a major shift in strategy: 
- transitioned 3 programatic employees to leadership gift officers
- Expanded portfolios
- School-based partnerships
- EAB- Direct Mail

12. FY20 Goals & Metrics Visits Proposals Dollars Raised 1st time visits
Face to face and scheduled phone calls
1st time visits
Proposals 
Proposals submitted and proposals granted
Dollars Raised 
Goals for total dollars raised and unrestricted

13. Key Focus Areas Multi-Year Proposals Retention
School-Based Partnerships
Planned Giving

14. Annual Leadership Gift Officers- FY18 vs FY19 Comparison
Results
Annual Leadership Gift Officers- FY18 vs FY19 Comparison
FY18
FY19
Change
Percent Change
# Proposals Submitted
253
444
191
75.49%
Dollars Submitted
$833,760
$1,132,385
$298,625
35.82%
# Proposals Granted
180
280
100
55.56%
Dollars Granted
$360,475
$574,896
$214,421
59.48%
Visits
243
270 27
11.11%

15. Growing Pains Staff in the right roles Donor choice Project management
Expectations of ALGs vs MGOs

16. - Hindu Prince Guatama Siddhartha
Execution & Open Forum
There are two mistakes one can make along the road…not going all the way, and not starting.”
- Hindu Prince Guatama Siddhartha

17. Portfolio Management Technology for organization and prioritization
At least 2-3 contacts/quarter
Structure the year on travel schedule, alumni events and renewal dates
Transparency is key! 
How do you meaningfully manage 200+ prospects?

18. Getting in the door Week 1: Email Week 2: Phone and Email
Week 3: Bump-Up
Key Takeaway: This is hard work!
*A 15 % success rate in terms of meeting your objective is above par
*Approximately 90% of calls go to voic
What are your best tips for getting in front of prospects? 

19. Prospect Strategy Always have a purpose!
Planned gift
Multi-year commitment
Renewal
Engagement opportunities
Major gift prospect
Parent
What messaging is resonating with your constituents?

20. Meeting Agendas: Qualification-Solicitation all at once
(15%) Warm up, chit chat, restate why you are there!
(65%) Probing Questions
(10%) Making the Case
(5%) Transition and ASK
(5%) Recap and NEXT STEPS
*70% of meeting should be prospect speaking!
How do you move from qualification to solicitation in just one meeting?

21. Probing Questions
Do you believe your gifts to XXX are making a difference? If so, how?
What other organizations do you currently support? Volunteer for? Serve on the board for?
When you give, do you give both annually and to capital projects?
What works for you?

22. Meeting Follow-Up The sooner the better!
Always bring a simple letter of intent to meetings (consider 2-3 different LOI’s)
Touchpoints quarterly throughout the year
Engagement opportunities scheduled in advance
How do you continue to steward such large portfolios? 

23. What’s working for you? Questions?
Jenny Alstad Director, Annual Giving Programs