Fundraising Partnerships between Athletics and Academics

The term student-athlete puts it into perspective that the young adults competing on the playing surfaces are not just athletes, they are also students.  This is a crucial message for development offices to communicate, since donors do not often realize their monetary impact via the educational side of the story.

University of Florida Library

Partnering with academic units can be a mutually beneficial tactic to show contributors that athletics values education.  The academic unit will benefit from an enhanced involvement in the experience of intercollegiate athletics.  Athletics will benefit from the exposure to a new niche of school supporters and from the positive example in favor of its academic mission.

The most logical academic partner is the library.  Although no student-athlete will graduate with a degree from this university unit, this is a building that all student-athletes utilize.  Building a creative campaign with your university’s library can go a long way to delivering your athletic department’s message about academics.

A recent example of a library-athletics partnership is the University of Florida.  Florida created the Academic Sports Challenge to support their library by pledging for every touchdown scored during the football season.  The University of Oklahoma is another example of this type of partnership.  Oklahoma created a $500,000 endowment for their library.

Other examples of schools donating ticket revenues academic initiatives are Duke University and the University of Tennessee.  In 2011, Duke started donating $1 from each ticket sold to home events to their library.  In 2009, Tennessee began charging $5 for admission to their spring football game generating approximately $150,000.  Athletics used it to support academic initiatives for the university.

While the funds donated by an athletics department as a part of this type of partnership may not count toward the totals for your annual fund or most major gifts campaign, it will send an important message to current and potential donors.  It is a communications tactic that heavily emphasizes the student in student-athlete.

Ryan O’Connor

Gold Mail Offers a Unique Way to Personalize Donor Communication

Recently, I was forwarded information on a company called Gold Mail which offers an online personalized messaging service. In short, this technology allows you to e-mail your elevator pitch to a prospect via an embed individualized voice and picture presentation. You can see how Gold Mail works by clicking here or for the longer version on how this software can be utilized you can click here.

The cost for Gold Mail is relatively inexpensive. According to the company’s pricing page it is $10 per month for businesses and offers unlimited messages up to 10 minutes in length. It also includes reporting and tracking information to see who viewed your message and which links were clicked. Based on a case study provided by the company a non-profit they showcased saw an increase in donations from e-mail communication by 6%.

The product that Gold Mail offers has potential use within athletics development. Whether it’s for an annual fund drive, marketing spring coaches caravan events, or promoting capital campaigns the personalized voice and picture messaging can make your point easier to convey. This is not something that can be used in all situations, but if done strategically as a follow up to an initial conversation could make an impact on the effectiveness of donor communication.  There is a little bit of a learning curve, but there is a feature where you can make the presentation in Powerpoint and upload it to the Gold Mail server which can make the process easier.

Drew Ossakow

Indiana University Varsity Club to host Speaker Series

Indiana University has recently unveiled a unique benefit for their Varsity Club donors by hosting an event for Big Ten Conference Commissioner Jim Delany as a part of a formal Speaker Series. These unique events are open only to Varsity Club members who can purchase tickets for $15 and can bring a guest.

With conference realignment a hot-button topic, there has been a growing recognition of conference commissioners and the role they play in the industry. In fact, many commissioners are now household names, being scrolled across the bottom of ESPN on a regular basis. Jim Delany is certain to get a large crowd in Bloomington, and will help the Varsity Club provide value to their donors.

In the long run, this is just one event in a series that will help educate donors on college athletics and the surrounding issues. Having industry leaders speak to donor groups provides a unique avenue for learning more about college athletics straight from the people who are making the decisions.

Taylor Wood

Athletic Fundraising, Mobile Technology & Micro-Donations

○ LSU & The United Way text campaign raised around $9,000 in a single timeout during a ‘09 football game between Auburn & LSU.

2. Build text campaigns around ‘matching gifts’ from larger donors or sponsors. If certain milestones are reached, gifts will double, triple, etc. -Brings a gaming element to the campaign.

Would Microphilanthropy Work in Athletics Development?

Recently I came across an interesting article (warning: its subscription based) on The Chronicle of Higher Education’s website highlighting an interesting fundraising program at Middlebury College.  The school launched MiddSTART, a microphilanthropy initiative aimed at moving the donor/donee relationship beyond a financial transaction and make it more collaborative.  The concept of microphilanthropy has been around for some time.  The fundraising model is based on smaller and more direct interactions between those who give money and those who receive.

This past fall, USAToday did a feature on how this type of giving is changing the non-profit sector.  The article claims that organizations such as Modest Needs, GlobalGiving, and DonorsChoose.org, who focus on microphilanthropy saw exponential growth in charitable giving from 2004-08.  One of the reasons for this large growth can be attributed to technology, social media included, and the ease of access to information about the projects donors are contributing towards.

Ken Berger, president of Charity Navigator, says about microphilanthropy, “There’s a lot of evidence that this generation is used to instant access to information.   They want more direct involvement, to be empowered in the process, and to see results more directly.”

MiddSTART, allows alumni, parents and friends to help aid student driven projects at Middlebury College. The way it works is that a completely student organized initiative submits an application through the MiddSTART website.  A panel reviews the applications which are judged on their goals, creative and entrepreneurial merits, and level of organization and commitment shown by the student(s).  Once a project is accepted a unique page is created with its details, goals, and ways to follow the project.  The maximum budget that is allowed for projects is $2,000; however donors can also choose to support a MiddSTART scholarship which is $10,000.

It would be understandably difficult to incorporate microphilanthropy within an athletics annual giving program, especially if the emphasis is on unrestricted donations.  However, in speaking with others who work within athletics development we commonly are challenged with having our lower level donors understand how impactful their support really is.  So I will ask the question is there a way to emulate the success of a MiddSTART type program for athletics?

There is no one answer to this but it is an interesting topic to think about.  Again, integrating the concept of microphilanthropy into athletic giving may prove challenging but there are aspects of it we can utilize.  As we strive to find ways to highlight the value of all donor support, this giving model may provide an opportunity to improve the format of our communication and messaging in order to further enforce the impact of all levels of support.

Drew Ossakow

Memphis has a “Vision for Victory”

Football Indoor Facility Rendering

Recently, Memphis Athletics and the Tiger Scholarship Fund kicked off a campaign aimed at enhancing the school’s football program.  The Vision for Victory campaign will look to raise $10 million which will be used towards the construction of a 74,000 square foot indoor practice facility as well as improvements for part of the Murphy Athletic Complex.  Earlier this summer, the school hosted an event where they publicly announced the campaign which included special guest speakers such as former Tigers running back DeAngelo Williams, Memphis Head Football Coach Larry Porter, and legendary coach Lou Holtz.  The 1,200 Memphis donors, football season ticket holders, and former letterwinners in attendance were able to listen to each of the speakers describe the need to increase support for the football program.  The organizers of the event also showed this excellent case for support video which was created by Running Pony Productions.

As of June 2011, the school has raised over $1.2 million and has assembled an executive campaign committee that will aide in securing donors for this project.  The committee includes Isaac Bruce and DeAngelo Williams, both former Tiger football stars, who will serve as honorary national chairs.  To further publicize Vision for Victory, the Tiger Scholarship Fund created a campaign specific website which includes the Vision brochure, naming opportunities, and progress chart.

This campaign is a clear signal that the school is serious about enhancing the football program and is also a part of the University’s overall $250 million capital campaign.  Once construction is complete, Memphis will have some of the premier practice and completion venues in Conference USA and the country.

Drew Ossakow

Indiana’s Varsity Club Launches Ambassador Referral Program

This summer IU Athletics launched a new referral program which will reward donors for helping to increase Varsity Club membership.  The goals of the initiative are to expand the number of IU Athletic donors as well as reward those who help out in doing so.  Participants in the Ambassador Referral Program will receive priority points which will count towards preferred seating for football and men’s basketball games.  “Ambassadors” get three non-accumulated priority points for every $100 referred to the Varsity Club’s unrestricted annual fund.  Donors can indicate who referred them on their giving form which must be mailed in to count as part of the new initiative.

The “Ambassador” program comes on the heels of a banner year for the Varsity Club.  IU Athletics received over $7.9 million in annual gifts for 2010-11 which breaks the previous mark set in 2007-08 by 3.2%.  IU also set a single month giving record when they received $2.3 million in June of 2011.  Continuing to find ways to incentivize current donors to refer their friends and coworkers is key to growing an annual fund program.  In the past we have looked at a few examples of creative referral programs (Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, VCU) that have help to increase annual gifts.  With IU’s initiative, the Varsity Club did a great job by incorporating priority points which are highly valued by their donors for football and especially men’s basketball tickets.

Drew Ossakow

Playmaker Summer Camp Event Highlights TAF’s Playbook Campaign

Tulane Athletics and the Tulane Athletics Fund (TAF) offered donors the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a Green Wave student-athlete.  In coordination with many of the departments within athletics, guests were led to different stations within the James W. Wilson Jr. Center where they got to meet with coaches and staff members.  At each station, participants heard about what that specific department does and were offered insights into how they specifically aid student-athletes.  For instance, groups were brought in to see the academic support areas and learned about all the services that are offered and how they impact Green Wave student-athletes.  Guests were also brought to see Tulane’s Director of Equipment Operations in which the kids in the group got to try on various football equipment.  Click here for a highlight video of the event.

The first ever “TAF Playmaker Summer Camp Event” received rave reviews from those that organized the event and those that attended.  It not only offered donors behind the scenes access into the full Green Wave experience, it also afforded the opportunity for current student-athletes to meet those that support them.  The Playmaker Summer Camp event also allowed Tulane Athletics supporters to see how their donations make an impact in a multitude of areas.

This event was a part of the TAF’s The Playbook Campaign, which is geared toward enhancing the football program.  Since Hurricane Katrina’s impact on the Tulane athletic program, a “playbook” was developed by the Tulane University president and athletic director on how to return the Green Waves to full-time Division I status.  This fall will mark that return, as the school will introduce Women’s Sand Volleyball and Women’s Bowling which will bring Tulane’s varsity sport count to 16, the required amount by the NCAA for a Division I institution.  In the playbook, the school makes a case for support to potential donors on the need to upgrade many aspects of the Tulane football program.  The needs outlined contain expanding academic services for the football team and facility upgrades, which includes a new football stadium.

It is apparent how much hard work has gone into The Playbook Campaign as it serves a vital need for Tulane athletics.  TAF has creatively branded this campaign, which even includes unique giving levels that tie in football season tickets, as well as provided innovative donor communication materials.  The Playbook Campaign provides a great example for any development office or athletic department that is looking to transform their football program.

Drew Ossakow

Golden Gopher Fund Engages Young Alumni Through “Next Generation”

A few weeks ago we posted a study done by Ohio University sports administration graduate students that looked at best practices among young alumni giving initiatives.  As a follow up, we wanted to highlight the Next Generation campaign at the University of Minnesota.  This program is aimed at reengaging Golden Gopher young alumni from ages 30 – 50 years old.  The school is located within a major metropolitan area which has a multitude of entertainment and philanthropic options UM has to contend with.  For this reason, the Golden Gopher Fund set out to speak with the 30 biggest influencers amongst this group to find out how to get them more involved with Minnesota Athletics.

This past winter, the GGF met with these influencers individually to talk about the Next Generation initiative and invited them to a social hour and roundtable discussion event.  At the gathering, members of the athletic department, including coaches, along with the invited guests discussed ways to grow this young alumni group.  Following the meeting the group attended a home basketball game in which they all sat together.  Out of the 30 that were invited, three to four offered to champion the Next Generation effort to ensure its success.

There were a couple of key takeaways from this meeting.  The first being that the group identified three aspects that they thought needed to be incorporated within Next Generation for it to have broad appeal.   It was brought up that young alumni are particularly interested in networking opportunities, family oriented events, and the chance for increased amenities and access.   Also, the GGF staff identified that the best way to move forward with increasing young alumni membership would be through organic growth.  The efforts of those that were invited to attend the first Next Generation event would act as volunteer representatives of the Minnesota Athletic program and would develop a “representative program”.

The Golden Gopher Fund approached their need to have more participation from young alumni in a unique and innovative way.  It takes a lot to organize a program such as this but those efforts will surely pay dividends down the road.  To see more recent graduate program best practices examples please click here which will take you to a copy of the Young Alumni Giving report.

Special thanks to Jason Butikofer, Director of Annual Fund & Premium Seating for the Golden Gopher Fund, for his contribution with this story.

Providence gets creative with NBA draft promotional ask

The Friars Forever Athletic Fund recently announced a promotion to generate some publicity for basketball star Marshon Brooks and his selection in the NBA draft. On June 17, Providence announced that they would be giving away two VIP luxury box tickets to each donor who correctly guessed Brooks’ draft pick number in the form of a financial contribution. For example, if a fan thought that Brooks would be drafted with the 20th pick, they would need to make a $20 contribution to the Friar Athletic Fund.

While on the surface this promotion does not look like a big way to generate revenue, it does serve a purpose. It allows the department to promote the recent success of the basketball program while also allowing fans a glimpse of the luxury box area. This can increase the number of prospects for the annual fund and box seats, as well as build some goodwill with fans in seats that might otherwise go unused.

In many ways this is a different way to ask for support from fans. Rather than giving admittance in to an annual fund structure with benefits, this promotion allows anyone to support the school and have the potential to be rewarded with luxury seats.

The Friars Forever Athletic Fund have yet to announce the winners of this promotion publicly.