1. Is It Feasible to Do Your Own Feasibility Study? Kate Troelstra Assistant Headmaster for Development Providence Day School Charlotte, NC

2. Feasibility Study Purpose  Assess readiness of the institution  Test institutional priorities with key supporters and general constituency  Explore potential financial support  Identify leaders

3. What Do You Need to Conduct an Objective Study?  Trust  Open Mind  Time  Staff

4. Benefits of Going In-House  Firsthand feedback regarding priorities and potential  Great cultivation tool  Identify key volunteers  Buy-in from staff as well as donors  Quantitative and qualitative information

5. Providence Day Quantitative: Who Did We Talk To?  Board of Trustees  Key Donors  Connectors  Started with a list of 100 and ended up with 70 interviews

6. Providence Day Quantitative What to Ask?  General  Involvement  The Heart of the Matter  Wrap-up

7. Providence Day School General Questions  How did you choose PDS?  What do you see as strengths of PDS?  What do you see as challenges for PDS?

8. Other General Questions  Tell me about your best campus experience.  How do you feel about (your institution name here)?  What areas of the institution interest you today?  How would you rate your interest in the institution?

9. Providence Day School Involvement Questions  Do you volunteer your time with other organizations? If so, which ones?  Where do you rate PDS among your philanthropic interests?

10. Other Involvement Questions  How do you select the causes you support?  What motivates you to volunteer for an organization?  Why do you give to the Annual Fund?

11. Providence Day School Heart of the Matter Questions  Given the following institutional priorities, which do you feel are most important?  How much do you think we could raise in a school-wide effort over five years?  This is a gift table for a campaign that size. Where do you see yourself if PDS were to move forward with a campaign in the near future?  Do you know of anyone else who may be able to help us at that level?

12. Other Heart of the Matter Questions  Have you made a capital gift to any cause? If so, tell me about it.  Would you consider making a major gift of $_______ to [your institution] in the next five years?  Would you ever consider making a major gift to the institution?

13. Providence Day School Wrap-up Questions  Would you be interested in getting more involved at PDS? (use list)  Do you have any concerns about PDS you’d like to share?  What is the one thing that, no matter what, should NOT change at PDS?

14. Other Wrap-up Questions  What one piece of advice would you give the institution as it plans for the future?  Which classmates do you keep in touch with?  How would you rate the institutional publications you receive?

15. A Fun Ending  How would you finish the sentence: When I think of Providence Day School I think of……..

16. Providence Day Qualitative Who Did We Talk To?  Anyone in the PDS community who had an interest  12 information sessions in and around Charlotte

17. Information Session Format  Where?  In someone’s home  On campus  Uptown for lunch  What?  Coffee/dessert  Program follows social time  90 minutes total in length

18. Information Session Content  Focus on school priorities  Give some historical perspective  Great opportunity for education  We used our Board of Advisors as a sounding board for the presentation

19. Information Session Questions  What priority is most important to you?  What do you see as challenges for PDS in the future?  What is the one thing at PDS that shouldn’t be changed?

20. Ratings The Other Piece of the Puzzle  Electronic screenings  Peer screenings  Analysis of giving to your institution  Rate Everyone!!!

21. Then what?  Priority decisions  General readiness feedback  Potential goal  Prospect analysis  Interview results  Double Productivity

22. The Final Report  Introduction (method)  Priorities  Timing (readiness)  Goal  Key findings  Recommendations  Appendices (timeline, interview questions, interviewees, materials)

23. What Couldn’t Be Said The Down Side to Doing It Yourself

24. QUESTIONS?