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

Email

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/