Positioning an annual giving programme for maximum impact: An Illinois case study

Abstract

In a philanthropic landscape where advancement programmes must raise more dollars from shrinking donor bases, how can annual giving strategies contribute to ambitious fundraising goals? In an effort to effectively support the university’s goals of doubling annual cash fundraising, preparing for an upcoming campaign launch, and developing untapped, rated prospect potential, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) made the decision to move their annual giving programme focus away from a loosely based, decentralised participation model and towards a centralised pipeline model. How does de-emphasising participation rates affect the institution? What metrics will be used to assess the success of the pipeline model? How do current trends in annual giving fit into this pipeline model? In reading how UIUC analysed and answered these questions, readers will have a better understanding of how to evaluate their donor base, programme goals and staff/financial resources to see if a similar move is right for their annual giving programme. In addition, this paper will explore the logistics of transitioning a programme as well as the experiences of gaining buy-in, messaging strategy change to key leadership, and managing the changing model in a decentralised environment.