Herding cats: how to work on portfolios productively with gift officers Cristi Hendry, Director, Prospect Research and Management San Diego State University 2019 CARA Conference, Lake Tahoe!
Agenda My institutions History of meetings with gift officers Creating a system Managing change Portfolio coverage meeting The report Demonstration Results Going forward Q&A
My institutions Harvey Mudd College San Diego State University 5,000 alumni 422,000 alumni 6 officers 30 officers 2 researchers 2 ½ Prospect and research 4 initiatives management staff Did not meet New stadium and $25M match University of California, Riverside Meet bi-annually 200,000 alumni? 30 officers Pitzer College 3 researchers 6,000 alumni students Can’t recall 11 officers Met as needed 2 researchers No specific initiatives – build endowment Met monthly
History of meetings with officers Review of contact reports (are we supposed to nudge?) Lists of leads (ok – but this can be handled more efficiently) Metrics (steer clear — we are not the boss of them) Leading questions (travel? new initiatives?) Schedule as needed (never scheduled)
History of meeting with officers The Prospect Management system is not enough to get everyone on the same page
Creating a system Shout out to Doug Cogswell, Advizor Solutions “Key Metrics in Major Gift Fundraising” Size of portfolio — goal is to get the portfolio to the recommended size Portfolio coverage — are they contacting everyone once a year? Time in stage — are they moving the prospect? Leave to management Solicitation levels Asks vs. gifts received (yield) https://www.advizorinsights.com/key-metrics-in-major-giving-fundraising/
Creating a system A portfolio coverage meeting provides: Accountability Dedicated time for sitting down and reviewing prospects Helps officers to stay current with their prospects Can move officers to schedule an ask Highlights coverage — how many people are they getting to in a year
Managing change Secure buy-in from leadership How often? Purpose Publicize Make sure the team is onboard and understands purpose
Portfolio coverage meeting Time to sit down and think about portfolio in a relaxed environment Points to emphasize Most recent contact date (coverage) Assignment date (stage) Most recent gift Goals Call list for officer Remove deadwood Update stages Follow up list for Research Update capacity? Contact needed? Make the updates discussed in the meeting
Portfolio coverage meeting Two weeks in advance of the meeting, send a portfolio report showing recommended drops Criteria Assignment date 1+ years ago and No giving past 3 years and No contact past year or contacted 3 times with no response Rated less than $100K by research (or amount you determine with leadership) Skip portfolios that are less than 12 months old
The report Date assigned Cultivation stage Last contact date by the relationship manager Most recent meeting date Most recent gift date and amount Total giving Solicitation information or proposal Other?
The report Use filters to show the prospects who need contact Review Last contact by officer Assignment date and stage Ratings As you go along, note changes and drops and make notes for follow up by Prospect management and the officer
The report portfolio as of 3/25/2019 sorted in descending order by date of last contact - no contact is at the end LAST_CONTACT_R M_TYPE -- not HOME ASSIGNMEN MAJOR_G including mass Name Officer follow RECORD_TY HOME_C _STAT most recent most recent T_START_D Prospect IFT_CAPA LAST_CONTACT_R mail and mass ID_NUMBER PM follow up up PE ITY E JOB_TITLE COMPANY_NAME TOTAL_GIVING gift date gift amount ATE stage CITY M_DATE email $250,000 Saratog $ - 135714need more info Alumnus a CA Consultant Hf-Pure, Inc. - 7/31/2018Cultivation $499,999 19-Mar-18Phone Call Lemon Member, Board of LOGIC Devices $ $ $25,000 - 74178 Alumnus Grove CA Directors Incorporated 45,684 2/24/2004 884 3/26/2018Cultivation $49,999 26-Mar-18Email Encinita Ethereal Research, $ $ $50,000 - 220474 Alumnus s CA TSI 9,131 2/16/2007 8,131 3/16/2018Cultivation $99,999 26-Mar-18Email To Be San $ $ Determin 1743perm stew Alumnus Diego CA 283,141 12/17/2018 10,000 3/16/2018Cultivation ed 20-Apr-18Email add contact remove - not a report re: not major gift major gift MikrosScan $ $ $25,000 - 414596 prospect prospect Alumnus Technologies, Inc. 75 6/30/2000 75 3/16/2018Cultivation $49,999 23-Apr-18Email Faculty San San Diego State $ $ Stewardshi $25,000 - 221454solicitation Emeritus Diego CA Instr Fac AY University 612 9/11/2003 567 5/14/2018 p $49,999 14-May-18Face to face add contact report re: not major gift San $ $ $50,000 - 468771remove prospect Past Parent Diego CA Principal I.D.E.A. District 97,886 3/14/2018 6,850 3/16/2018Cultivation $99,999 12-Jun-18Face to face Molam $ $10,000 - 39461 Alumnus La Jolla CA President and CEO International, Inc. - 6/25/2018Cultivation $24,999 25-Jul-18Email $ Identified 445149 Company - 6/22/2018 Suspect 1-Aug-18Phone Call $100,000 Descans $ $ - 36979 Alumnus o CA Nasland Engineering 250 4/17/2012 250 3/16/2018Solicitation $249,999 10-Aug-18Phone Call
Results – Pitzer College Leadership supported Cohesive teamwork between Prospect management and Research and Officers 2 officers resisted/ 1 came around after several months and saw the value
Results – San Diego State University Leadership supports! Cohesive team leads to cooperation One instance of resistance but we overcame that They have liked the report as a call sheet Portfolio sizes are slimming Reduced 10% on average
Going forward We plan to meet twice a year — spring and fall Start scheduling in August for September — November
Questions? Thank you! chendry@sdsu.edu
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