Major Gift Plan for a University
Utilizing a Prospect Management System
by Bob Martin,
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Summary analysis of the major gifts plan:
1) The major gifts program is ongoing and follows the strategic
plan of the entire organization.
2) The Development office supports the mission and enhances the
vision by obtaining the private financial resources to strengthen
the programs of the organization and by developing, managing,
and enhancing relationships with alumni and friends.
Case for major gifts support program:
The major gifts program at the University is aimed at
strengthening support in key areas:
-
Faculty - through endowed chairs, professorships and faculty
development programs
-
Students - through undergraduate scholarships and graduate
fellowships
-
Libraries - for books, special collections and technological
needs
-
Academic programs - to enhance research opportunities, replace
and upgrade technical equipment and to meet emerging needs
Resources:
The staff consists of key campus leadership and support systems.
All fund raising costs are covered by state appropriations.
Campus support:
For certain levels of prospect ability the Chancellor,($100,000
and up), and Deans ($50,000 and up) are part of the Development
team.
Some colleges have strong Development Committees. Members
of these committees will assist on certain calls above $100,000.
Prospect Management:
The University uses the moves management process to manage its
major gifts prospects. One member of each campus development
team coordinates this process for their campus. Each development
director is responsible for 100 prospects.
These prospects must have been researched by the system research
staff and have a minimum gift potential of $25,000.
It is
strongly encouraged that the majority of the prospect portfolio
be in the six-figure and up range.
The 100 major gift prospects are typically divided as such:
- Sixty A-prospects - being cultivated to ask for a gift within
12 months.
- Thirty B-prospects - cultivated for a possible ask within 18 to
24 months.
- Ten suspects - new prospects that have been identified through
the screening process, but have not shown significant interest
in the university to date.
Each major gifts development director must meet the following
minimum performance requirements annually:
- 120 meaningful prospect visits annually (meaningful is defined
to mean moving the donor towards a gift)
- 250+ personal contacts with major gifts donors each year
- Total Gifts closed range beginning at $1 million for each
director
- Identify and contact 10 new major gifts prospects each year
- Keep top 50 prospects informed, interested and involved with
a minimum of five contacts each year
Prospect Management Database
Prospect contact reports are done in a prospect management
database. This system can be accessed from the web for the
traveling Development Director.
It contains a variety of
information on all prospects such as:
- all contact reports
- reason for and result of each contact
- type of contact such as visit, phone, letter, email, etc.
- name, address, phone, email, spouse
- giving history, including gifts and pledges
- degree information on alumni
- whom the prospect is assigned to
- place of employment and job title
- if they are an A prospect, B prospect or a suspect at this time
- where the prospect is in the cultivation stage: introduction,
cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
- the stage of
proposal development (strategy, proposal development,
proposal delivery and proposal follow-up).
Prospect Management Reports
This system also produces a variety of reports to benefit the
major gifts director and the prospect manager: monthly summary
or detailed contact reports, summary and activity of all
assigned prospects during chosen time periods and much more.
These reports are used in individual Development Director
meetings with the Assistant Vice Chancellor to discuss where
they are in the cultivation and solicitation stage with their
assigned prospects.
Information regarding what proposals have been delivered,
those pending and when they expect to close on these pending
proposals (their follow-up strategies) are also documented on
this system.
Ongoing Reviews
We will also review the prospect visit schedule for the
upcoming month. When a development director travels the
research coordinator is also responsible for giving them names
of other suspects or prospects to call on when in the area.
Each year all major gifts directors must review their prospect
list with the Assistant Vice-Chancellor and research coordinator
to report on current prospects and request new ones.
The Key to Successful Fundraising
After all the planning and prospect research is completed,
remember that the key to successful fundraising is quality
face-to-face visits with our donors.
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For more information, please contact:
Bob Martin
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Dept. 6806
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598
(423) 425-4233 fax (423) 425-4012
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Church Fundraisers - Church fund-raising
through donor recognition - Christian fundraiser charity activities.
Capital Campaigns - Capital campaign
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Internet Fundraising - Three examples of
Internet websites - SolvePoverty, SmartMall, and PermaWorld.
Internet Fund Raising - Tony
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Donor Recognition - How to use donor
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