A first ever, post-Institute workshop focusing on comprehensive fundraising campaigns attracted 100 participants and featured strong presenters. "Comprehensive Campaigns: The Science and Art," co-sponsored by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, began after the Institute’s conclusion on January 8 and continued until noon on the following day. This 24-hour time block allowed for fast-paced coverage of the entire scope of a campaign. Seventy-five presidents and 25 spouses attended the program.
    Among the issues discussed were pre-campaign planning; campaign feasibility studies and the approval process; campaign advanced gifts phase; how to solicit major gifts; how to cultivate and solicit foundations; the roles of the president, vice president for institutional advancement, and board of trustees in a campaign; and campaign budgeting and use of campaign counsel.
    The workshop leaders included four presidents, five development consultants, and a foundation head: Mason J. Blacher, Mason Jay Blacher & Associates; Earl D. Brooks, Tri-State University (IN); Bruce Dreon, Bentz Whaley Flessner; Catherine Dunn, BVM, Clarke College (IA); Douglas Mason, Gonser Gerber Tinker Stuhr, LLP; Jack R. Ohle, Wartburg College (IA) and chair, board of directors, Council for Advancement and Support of Education; Jake B. Schrum, Southwestern University (TX); Dennis F. Vest, The Charitable Resources Group (TCR); Russell Weigand, Campbell & Company, and president, American Association of Fund Raising Counsel; and Patricia L. Willis, director of corporate and education affairs, BellSouth Foundation.
    In a presentation about fundraising after September 11, Weigand described how campaigns might be affected by the terrorist attacks and subsequent war. "The events of September 11 and their aftermath are unlike anything that has happened before. The economy was already on the brink of recession. Giving, historically, has grown during recessions but at a slower rate of growth. Unemployment is increasing. And unlike other war-time economies, this type of warfare may not result in the economic stimulus of past conflicts." Giving will be affected in the short term, he said, "but the outpouring of support for relief efforts has come from donors making relatively small gifts…and will likely have little impact on total giving or on distribution of giving." Weigand predicted that
foundation giving will return to former patterns next year, but that "corporate giving is perhaps the most vulnerable as profits are generally down. Some businesses, however, may view this as a ‘personal attack’ on American business, and react with an increase in giving, at least on a one-time basis."
    Weigand offered recommendations to presidents undergoing or planning a comprehensive campaign:

• "Recognize what your donors and volunteers may be thinking about right now. Listen to what they are saying. But remember, these donors have often been with you for a long while. They will continue to support you.
• Do not stop your planning efforts. Develop and present your plans, and how they will meet important needs. Engage your board and other key stakeholders in understanding and articulating these needs.
• If campaigns are postponed, use this time wisely to communicate your case, and develop further understanding and commitment to your future plans. Those who do nothing now will be far behind when we return to something resembling normality."
  

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Last updated: April 12, 2002
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