|
News Washington News Welcome to the July, 2002 edition of Washington News, the Washington Services newsletter. Washington News is published each second month and is designed to alert clients and others to developments in international school and university administration. Read on for client consulting activity, development and marketing news items and a featured article on fundraising questions and answers. Washington Services works with schools and universities internationally assisting them with alumni relations, fundraising, marketing, feasibility studies, placements and governance opportunities. In this edition
Recent Consulting Activity (return to top) Interesting and rewarding school and university assignments and conference speaking opportunities continue to come our way. Recent examples include: Principal Search We have been retained to assist the Australian International School Hong Kong locate a new Principal. The school is K to 12, (offering an Australian curriculum), with 730 students in a brand new award winning campus in Kowloon Tong. In conjunction with Creative School Management the international search will seek an appointee who will continue the outstanding work in establishing the school done by current Principal Christine Neilsen who is retiring. The key consultant will be Phillip Roff who has assisted some 32 independent schools with Principal appointments over the past 15 years. National University of Singapore Washington Services' expertise in international tax deductibility for educational philanthropy has been utilised by this prestigious university as it seeks to embrace its US based alumni for projects in Singapore and in the US. Recognition of the importance of offering tax deductibility to potential donors has been key to this assignment. Immanuel College, Adelaide Australia Principal Frank Opray recently conducted a development feasibility study at this well regarded Adelaide co-educational college designed to identify opportunities for the establishment of a development function. As a consequence the college is now recruiting a suitable appointee to implement the recommended strategies and commence a long term process of philanthropy. Association of German International Schools An invitation has been accepted by Frank Opray to conduct a one day seminar on alumni relations and philanthropy in international schools at the annual meeting of Heads and Board chairs of the above association. The meeting will be attended by the 14 members schools in Hamburg in mid November. This assignment will be undertaken in conjunction with briefing sessions for Boards of individual schools in Europe who are increasingly keen to discover how philanthropy can be grafted on to their financing structure for capital development and for scholarship funding. Development and Marketing News Items (return to top) Interest in Development in International Schools and Universities Grows The growing interest in alumni relations and philanthropy in international schools is best illustrated by the attention these issues are receiving at various Administrators' and university conferences. Examples include:
A common factor at these conferences is the search for an understanding of how best to implement a development program or how to enhance an existing one. Recycled Buildings Bridging the East West Divide An interesting sideline of recent visits to international schools in central and eastern Europe has been examples of how international education is not only performing its traditional function of building cultural bridges amongst students but also of how it has helped bridge what was the East West European divide.
Featured Article - Alumni Relations, Meeting the New Challenges (return to top) This is an abridged version of an article by Frank Opray which first appeared in the May 2002 edition of Creative School Management. It highlights eight of the most oft asked questions from schools and universities in educational fundraising internationally and provide brief answers or explanations. 1. Who should comprise the Foundation Board or Development Committee? In serious fundraising leadership is all important – organisational and financial leadership. If the potential lead donor to your institution considers $5,000 to be a substantial gift then that will set the tone for the whole campaign. Conversely if $100,000, $250,000 or more is seen as a respectable lead gift then that too will provide the path for others to follow. The net result on the outcome of a campaign is obvious. Those siting at the Foundation Board table must therefore be thinking in substantial terms if they are to have the positive impact which is called for. They must not be afraid to aim high, they must be prepared to make their own early gift to the extent that their circumstances allow and, importantly, they must be prepared to ask others to do likewise. Representation from across the institution's various constituencies is important, older and younger, males and females, alumni and parents, staff and board members. 2. What should be the role of the School or University Board in the fundraising process? Simply stated the board – collectively and individually – should:
3. What should be the role of the Head or the President be in the fundraising process? There is no better person to espouse the vision which dictates the fundraising needs of an institution than the CEO. His or her role is therefore vital in helping to engage potential donors with the expression of the school’s or university's vision. In most cases it is seen as inappropriate for the CEO to make the actual ask, this is best left to volunteers, but he or she should be part of the interviewing/asking team, especially with key donors. 4. What are the prime functions of a Director of Development relative to fundraising? Remembering that the most influential and high level asking will be done by committed volunteers who themselves have given, a Director of Development can be most effective by: · conducting ongoing in-depth donor research, · orchestrating pro-active donor cultivation, · organising and stage managing the asking process, · overseeing a creative segmented annual giving programme designed to bring forward future major donors, and · ensuring that the bequest message is heard in a discreet but continuing manner. 5. Should annual giving be continued whilst a capital appeal is underway? The essence of a successful annual giving programme is that it introduces and encourages philanthropy and thus it does not lend itself to being turned on and off like a tap. Annual giving should be seen as the key tool which continually brings forward new donors and therefore it has an important role to play even when an institution is engaged in a major gifts programme or a capital appeal. Many donors in fact will gladly give to both. Most important however is the role of annual giving in helping to build the habit of giving. It should certainly not be suspended in the face of a capital appeal. Other key attributes of annual giving are that it:
6. Should we be seeking to promote "on-line" giving? Two factors need to be recognised when considering offering giving on-line or by credit card on the web: (a) the world of commerce is rapidly heading on-line and to deny potential donors this form of giving will eventually handicap the institution, (b) there is an increasing attitude amongst younger alumni that if “on-line” is not an option – information, banking, bill payment, etc. then the service will not be embraced by them. To engage and encourage younger donors therefore the on-line option must be part of the giving alternatives. 7. What should we be doing relative to "donor recognition"? "Find seven ways to thank your donors" is conventional fundraising wisdom. A simple letter of thanks enclosing a receipt for taxation purposes is obligatory but it should be just the start of the process. The ways and means of thanking lends itself to creativity and will vary by institution and by project but the following graduated listing will serve as a guide:
8. What is the role for Bequests in the fundraising mosaic and how should we begin? In an ageing society the chances of prospective donors to schools and universities being cash poor but asset rich is quite apparent and therefore bequests are playing an increasingly important role in the typical fundraising mix. Whilst bequests may come less frequently than other forms of giving their quantum is generally much greater – they are usually gifts that, by virtue of their size, can make a substantial difference to one or more projects. Institutions therefore owe it to themselves to develop a bequest programme and to work at it as a long-term investment. The wait can be decades in some instances but the size of the potential gifts can make it worthwhile. A simple but sequential approach would entail:
Bequests are like the proverbial drip on the stone, constant but discrete activity will bring results in the longer term. Further Information (return to top) For further information and all other enquiries regarding Washington Services' consultancy services, please contact Frank Opray at: frank@opray.net Washington Services [ About Us | Our Products | Sporting Clubs |Email Form | Related Sites ] Copyright © 1998-2007 Washington Services. All Rights Reserved. |
