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Lessons from our gardens: A case study of Royal Roads University’s annual community giving appeal
Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing,
10
(1),
93-103
(2025)
Abstract
In 2021, the Advancement team at Royal Roads University (RRU) launched an annual giving direct mail appeal called Vision in Bloom, fundraising for projects within the century-old Hatley Park gardens that will help tackle food insecurity, act on reconciliation, establish community spaces and create biodiversity. This paper will provide insights from their learnings and recommendations to help fundraisers look beyond the bottom line and identify additional markers of success through the importance of crossdepartmental collaboration, donor engagement and iterative fundraising approaches, all of which have contributed to the appeal’s success in raising funds and deepening community engagement. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
Keywords: fundraising; collaboration; advancement; marketing; direct mail; annual giving; higher education
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Stephanie Clay oversees annual giving at Royal Roads University (RRU). She manages the annual direct mail appeals for the community, alumni and staff, as well as all donor funds under CAD$25,000. Stephanie completed a Master of Arts degree in professional communication at RRU in 2015. She presented at the 2024 CCAE National Conference.
Carla Girvin has worked in marketing for over 14 years. In 2014, she joined Royal Roads University (RRU) as a marketing specialist supporting an academic portfolio. In her current role, she manages the university’s corporate-level marketing initiatives, including advertising, recruitment materials and advancement activities. Carla is also a three-time graduate of Royal Roads, most recently completing a Master of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2024. She presented at the 2024 CCAE National Conference.
