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.

What saved Cal Baseball?

After almost nine months of waiting, hoping, seeking donations and counting pledges, the University of California finally had good news for its baseball team: the games will go on after the 2011 season.  Back on Tuesday, September 28, the University had officially announced that intercollegiate baseball at Cal would be cut at the end of the year due to budget shortfalls that have caused a growing need for the school to subsidize their intercollegiate athletics program.  Although receiving university funds is not an uncommon practice at the Division I level, Cal’s goal of becoming completely self-sufficient resulted in the need to make dramatic cuts (along with baseball, women’s lacrosse, rugby, men’s and women’s gymnastics were also announced to be eliminated).

Not soon after the announcement was made, several parents and alumni of one of Cal’s oldest and prestigious sports (founded in 1892, the baseball program has won two College World Series Championships) put together a plan to raise the needed funds to save the program.  An announced $10 million would be needed to continue baseball at Cal.

The use of volunteers and non-university personnel to aid in fundraising is nothing new.  Every campaign, fund-drive, special event and advisory board involves those who are unpaid and simply volunteer their time to give back and benefit an organization.  What transpired at Cal, however, shows what an emotionally fueled and fiercely determined group of volunteers can do to support a fundraising initiative.  Since that Tuesday in September, enough funds have been raised to bring back all five sports (rugby, lacrosse, and women’s gymastics were saved in February, men’s gymnastics in May, and baseball, officially, in June).

Leading alumni started several websites to spread the word, made endless calls to ask for support, and put their own money forward to bring back the sports.  For baseball, the donations came from all angles; even rival Stanford University put forward $50,000 to bring back the program.  Baseball alumnus, Stu Gordon, is credited with spearheading much of the volunteer efforts by putting up $550,000 of his own money.

Of course, and as this post was written, the Cal baseball program has made the story of their year long struggle to survive even more astonishing.  The team has managed to make it to the 2011 College World series on the backs of several improbable comebacks and unlikely victories.  The lasting memories and unrivaled experiences that the student-athletes at Cal are getting are going to carry on with them for the rest of their lives, and thanks to many dedicated donors, those opportunities will continue for Cal athletes into the future.

But will this model of independent volunteer groups raising money for specific sports change the model of athletics fundraising?  So think some, perhaps bringing programs closer to the “Booster” organizations of old and away from the unrestricted annual fundraising of today.  Only time will tell what the impact of Cal’s efforts in 2010 and 2011, but the landscape has surely shown signs of change.

Rob Norris