Partners in Stewardship
Susan Teskey
Director of Stewardship
UW Foundation
Megan Costello
Director of Communications
College of Letters and Science
Acknowledgement
Accountability
Communicating Impact
Stewardship:
“The first step toward the next gift”
“Out of every 100 individuals who stop giving to your
organization, only four move away or die.
• Fifteen decide to make their gifts elsewhere.
• Fifteen are unhappy with your organization.
• Sixty-six think you don’t care about them.”
Judith Nichols, Pinpointing Affluence
1st time 27%
2 consecutive years 60%
3-4 consecutive years 70%
5 consecutive years 85%
Donor Retention is Key
Washburn Observatory 1880
The Power of Philanthropy
Powerful, in that yes, gifts can transform the university but they can also
transform the giver.
The Power of Philanthropy
“At the end of the day, you end up giving to benefit that area you want to help… It means something not only to the recipient, but also to the individual making that gift. It is such a great experience.”
Jim Thompson
’73 BS ALS
Key Retention Strategies
Donors feel the strongest connection to UW brand.
We need to provide donors with more information on gift impact.
We need to provide more information on gift impact in unit communications.
Our donors at all levels love “personal communication.”
Stewardship = Communication
Impact Impact Impact
Ways we communicate
One-to-One
Letters
Calls
Visits
Characteristics of Great Thank Yous • Coordinate with your campus & UWF Advancement Team!
• Timely
• Include human outcomes/impact
• For alumni, provokes memories of their experience on campus and gives
them a snapshot of what’s going on around us today
• Does not solicit another gift
• Gift recipient thank you letters are most meaningful
Thank you letter samples: donorrelationsguru.com
“We really enjoy the Thank Yous. It doesn’t have to be real fancy, just to have a name and to know who got her scholarship is fine. We look forward to it every spring.”
Family of Kimberlie Wee
Ways we communicate
One-to-Many
Newsletters
Websites
Social Media
Giving Organizations
Events
Newsletters can…
Be done efficiently
Be easy to do
Be beautiful
Be full of stories you can multipurpose
Inspire alumni to make a gift or get involved
Help collect information about alumni
Be fun (very important)
Newsletters and impact
How can we sustain the alumni connection?
How can we demonstrate our value and strengths?
How can we engage people beyond print?
Can we integrate print and digital?
Great newsletter content
• What are alumni most interested in?
• Stories and features
• Student experiences
• The impact of research “What’s it going to do?”
• Alumni in their professions/“Class notes”
• What are alumni least interested in?
• Faculty selection, promotion or retirement
• New book publications
• Event recaps – commencement and other ceremonies
L&S Examples
Vilas Voice • https://kb.wisc.edu/images/group86/27902/VilasVoicenewsletter2012.pdf
Economics Matters • https://kb.wisc.edu/images/group86/27902/econ_news_web_1012.pdf
Honors Challenge • https://kb.wisc.edu/images/group86/27902/HONORSnewsletter2012.pdf
Philosophy, Wisconsin Style • https://kb.wisc.edu/images/group86/27902/philosophy_news_1112.pdf
Social Work Connections: • https://kb.wisc.edu/images/group86/27902/social_work_1012_lores.pdf
Zoology Now • https://kb.wisc.edu/images/group86/27902/zoology_news_111612.pdf
“I get their newsletter, which includes stories about all these bright, deserving students, and I feel like I’ve done more than send them something. I feel like I am a part of it…”
Lynn Keel ’81 MBA
BHS Member
UWF Giving Societies 1848 Society - annual gifts $1000+
Bascom Hill Society - $50,000+ lifetime gifts to any area
Van Hise Society - $1,000,000+ lifetime gifts to any area
Wisconsin Legacy Society - deferred gift any amount, any area
Events/Participation
“Meaningful information about their gifts at work is the key to donors’ repeat and increased giving. Communication is the process by which information is delivered. Fundraising under-performance, therefore, is actually a failure to communicate.”
~Penelope Burke, Donor Centered Fundraising
http://www.burksblog.com/
We’re all in this together!
UWF Guide for Campus Partners: supportuw.org/campus-partners/