Development
Girl power?
Best practice in fundraising should be common to all schools regardless of gender, but development professionals in girls’ schools find they need different strategies from those used elsewhere. Barbara Armitage reports
The overriding difference in girls’ schools is that a larger majority of their donations are from parents rather than former students, whereas in boys’ and co-ed schools the opposite is true. The results from a survey, which interviewed nearly 200 schools, showed this difference unequivocally.
On the go
As donors embrace online and smartphone-giving, school development offices need to ensure that they are well placed to provide services to facilitate the process. Amada Torres reports on the experience in the US
According to the Pew Research Center study Digital Differences, in January 2012, 87 per cent of the American adults surveyed had cell phones, 19 per cent owned e-book readers, and 19 per cent had tablet computers. Sixty-three per cent go online wirelessly with one of those devices, with the percentage rising to 82 per cent for college-educated respondents and 86 per cent for those with annual household incomes of $75,000 or more.
Hand in glove
Many schools have effective marketing offices: some have effective development offices. The wise ones have both. How should these two functions work together for the benefit of the school? Alison Graham reports
There is no one, easy pattern to recommend with marketing and development: both functions must be adapted to each school, reflecting its culture and ethos. However, there are some useful points to consider and some pitfalls to avoid, to get the best returns and maximise your investment. First, let’s get the notion out of the way that one person can do both roles: they can’t, as
each is a full-time, onerous post if it is done properly.
Higher purposes
The practice of development is still a mystery for some schools. New initiatives, however, will provide advice and help to those embarking on setting up a new office. Tim Edge reports on the outcomes of a recent gathering
I recently took part in a Forum for Experienced Development Practitioners organised by the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE), hosted by Wellington College. The purpose of the forum was to bring together many of the UK’s leading practitioners to debate and brainstorm the state of the development profession and to discuss how those with the greatest experience can add greater value to the school sector in general and the operation of development offices in particular.
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Using your head
The recent benchmarking survey on development is a timely and useful initiative to establish how effective schools are in the discipline. Tim Edge continues our review by highlighting the main topics that caught his eye
The annual conference of the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE) brought together a large number of headteachers and governors in June, all of whom were seeking to find out more about development work and the value it might bring to their schools.
Leading from the front
The first benchmarking survey of development and fundraising provides
some powerful data about existing, thriving programmes. Alison Graham
discusses the complex factors that can directly influence success
Employing professional development staff brings far greater returns to schools. However, this must be a long-term investment, not a quick fix. This is one of the findings of a survey carried out by Crowe Clark Whitehill (CCW), called Building for the Future, which built on last year’s preliminary work by the Institute of Development Professionals in Education. The average tenure of development professionals is just 3.5 years, yet most programmes only become effective after three to five years’ preparatory activity.
The best laid plans
The new National Planning Policy Framework is a leaner and more relevant policy to guide and encourage growth, while ensuring care is taken of the environment. Peter Dines reports on what it means for independent schools
In March this year, the Government published the first National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The document replaced almost all of the existing Government planning policy. The 59-page document is intended to make planning more accessible and highlight it as a positive force for sustainable economic growth and environmental common-sense. The much-reported pro-growth agenda of the NPPF is not a green light for reckless, unsupported and unpopular development; it is intended as a vehicle for the promotion of growth unhindered by unnecessary and often ambiguous planning policy. The objective is to achieve a national planning policy that encourages economic development to secure higher living standards, while protecting and enhancing the environment.
The price of fame
Many schools seek high-profile celebrity patrons for their fundraising campaigns. They can bring a great deal to your campaign; but beware the pitfalls of fame and the baggage that might bring. Tim Edge reports
There is no doubt that a celebrity patron can significantly enhance the profile of your campaign within and beyond your school community. Celebrities, if well chosen, also give your fundraising a certain legitimacy; their advertised presence at campaign meetings and events can ensure a higher attendance from the members of your community than might usually have been the case.
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Small is beautiful
Senior and all-through schools have development offices, while some prep schools deploy effective programmes. But where should smaller schools start and what can realistically be achieved? Alison Graham reports
Remember development’s prime focus: it’s all about people and relationships, not money. You will want to fundraise at some stage, but there are other activities to set up first and ways to move smoothly into the role of income generation. As warm relationships are paramount, small scale is not necessarily a negative, but can actually be a positive advantage. A university development office relies greatly on mass marketing to manage thousands of relationships, especially among its alumni, and can therefore only have a fruitful contact with a small percentage. A school with only a few thousand names on its database can focus more meaningfully on individuals. You can get to know every family, most of your alumni, all your former staff, and so identify the key people able to help you.
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Future perfect
If your fundraising and development work is not directly related to meeting your short-, medium- or long-term objectives, it is wasted effort. Mark Jefferies reports on fundraising for the long-term through strategic planning
When formulating or reviewing your fundraising strategy, the best starting point is the school’s aims and objectives. What does it want to achieve in general terms over the next five, ten, 20 years? What, in specific terms, does it need to achieve those objectives and what role can fundraising play? If a school decides that it wants to move towards needs-blind provision, then that presupposes the need for a huge amount of funding for bursaries; almost certainly an endowment of many millions. In all probability, legacy fundraising should feature heavily in your medium- and long-term plans.
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Old school ties
How can you encourage your recent leavers to continue to support the school? Tim Edge examines some strategies for staying close to younger alumni/ae and for fostering a sense of ongoing obligation to your school
Many alumni/ae rank their universities towards the top of their list of philanthropic priorities, with their schools featuring much lower down, if at all.
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Where the power lies
Tim Edge examines the most powerful elements determining the management and governance of a school and where development fits in
In any school community the three most powerful elements are invariably the head, the bursar and the governing body.
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A day in the life…
Jan Glover’s role involves implementing a strategic plan to raise funds for her school. Katie Cardona takes a look at her diary for insight into a typical day in the routine of Abingdon School’s development director
Early start: too much to do and too little time. Still dark when I get to the office, but it’s quiet and email beckons: the usual – everything from Viagra to local councillors saying how much they’d love to come to the Christmas Concert or not.
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Party politics
Fundraising events are popular in schools, but can distract from the bigger picture of reaching higher targets. Alison Graham cautions against focusing your efforts on a strategy that might not reap the rewards you intend
A common response in schools faced with the need to raise money is to propose a fundraising event. Many schools have active and enthusiastic parents’ associations that regularly run social events and other activities to raise useful sums of money for equipment and school projects.
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Facing up
Social networking sites have been taken up joyously by younger people, leaving the rest of us slightly bewildered. But, as Roya Ziai explains, there are ripe opportunities here for the school development office
Social networking sites have made a huge impact on many people’s lives, changing the ways in which individuals interact with each other and use the web. Since its launch in February 2004, Facebook has accrued 500 million active users, and is currently the second-most-visited website worldwide, after Google.
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Giving your all
Inspiring leadership is a necessity for a school’s success in fundraising. But what does this mean for school governors? Alison Graham reports on how they can play an active role in encouraging others to donate
Where schools are charities, governors are also trustees and therefore are financially and legally responsible for the well-being of the institution and its continuing strength. They are required to work for the long-term future good of the school and the pupils of tomorrow. With the head, they help set the strategy for the school, devise the plan to achieve that vision, including authorising all major fundraising campaigns. In any fundraising charity, the active involvement of trustees is instrumental to successful campaigns.
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Alright, guv?
Tim Edge begins a series of articles advising heads and governors on how to build a fruitful working relationship with the development office. In this edition he concentrates on the role of governors
Although governors have no operational role in the running of the school, they set the strategic tempo and framework. As critical friends, governors can play an important part in the development process and their knowledge of and enthusiasm for development work can be hugely beneficial.
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Leading from the front
New sources of non-fee income are critical for most independent schools in the current economic climate. Tim Edge examines the role of the headteacher in building and promoting a strong development culture
The constructive and active involvement of the head is pivotal to the development office’s effectiveness. Here are five tips for heads seeking to build an enduring and effective development presence within their schools:
1. Demonstrate that development is at the top of your agenda.
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Capital ideas
Times may be tight, but there are still donors who will contribute significantly to your cause. But how do you identify and engage them? Tim Edge shows how to lay the foundations of a successful major donor programme
In the current economic climate, the prospect of raising money from major donors seems almost counterintuitive.
Surely these donors, like everyone else, are reluctant to give, proving the adage that one of the first casualties in a recession is charitable giving?
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Testing times
There will be few independent schools that are not facing the future with anything other than considerable unease. Mark Jefferies advises to use this time to plan future fundraising campaigns
One of the biggest threats of this recession is the uncertainty about what is likely to happen because it sends us all into a state of paralysis. When others are hesitating is the time for those of courage to proceed, albeit with degrees of caution.
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Development issues - part 3
Five-point briefing on fundraising: why do donors give? By Tim Edge
Donors give for a variety of reasons, some of them highly personal and idiosyncratic. During my time in schools
fundraising, I have identified some common threads:
- A strong motivating factor is a high regard for operational and volunteer leadership. Make sure that
charismatic school leaders play a full part in the fundraising process. Also, recruit high profile, persuasive and
successful volunteers to complement the activity of operational leaders.
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Development issues - part 2
Five-point briefing on key donor truths. By Tim Edge
Here are some universal truths for why people donate:
- Donors give largely for emotional reasons. Schools should, therefore, seek to match aspects of their development programmes with the unique interests and needs of each prospective donor.
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Development issues - part 1
Five-point briefing on smart marketing. By Tim Edge
- Do you walk the talk?
Many schools use bland marketing statements in their literature. For example, “St Cuthbert’s prides itself in its standard of pastoral care”. What is truly important is not the statement itself, but the way in which St Cuthbert’s can demonstrate, with use of actual examples, what it is that makes its pastoral care excellent and distinctive from its competitors.
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The heart of the school
Development offices are an increasingly important feature in fundraising in independent schools. Tim Edge begins a series of articles on the challenges faced by headteachers and governors when setting up an office
There is little doubt that schools development is a boom industry. An increasing number of schools recognise the need to establish a development office to raise capital and revenue funding. Development professionals also play a crucial role in helping to establish and support a “community of goodwill”, the active and well-informed set of school “constituents” that is essential to successful fundraising and marketing activity.
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Into the fold
Having followed last issue’s guidance on setting up a development office, let’s assume you have recruited an excellent candidate to run it. Tim Edge examines ways to make this new member of your team feel valued
Many development professionals, particularly those without schools experience, can find a school environment alien and forbidding. Structures can seem unduly hierarchical and bureaucratic; management and information systems might appear antediluvian when compared with those in their previous post.
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A tale of two bodies
Some independent schools have set up separate foundations to act as a conduit for charitable donations to the school. This can sometimes create unforeseen conflicts. Tim Edge outlines the pitfalls and advantages
Fundraising foundations are unique charities in their own right, with their own memorandum of articles and a board of trustees that is independent from the school’s governing body.
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Face first
After weeks of planning an approach to a prospective donor or sponsor, how can you convince them to support you at a face-to-face meeting? Andrew Maiden reveals the techniques that will increase your powers of persuasion
To maximise your chances of success, you must take control of the meeting to present the benefits of your proposal and ask for support in a structured way.
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Fundraising models
What are the pros and cons of continuous and periodic fundraising models? By Tim Edge
Fundraising models What are the pros and cons of continuous and periodic fundraising models? By Tim EdgeIn recent years, a large number of UK independent schools have embraced the concept of an annual fund. The annual fund is a method of financing those second-tier priorities that are not allocated funding from the school’s operational budget. Donors from across the school’s ‘constituencies’ are asked to give a relatively small amount each year for specific, medium- to small-scale projects. Extensive use is made of volunteers to solicit gifts from constituency peer groups.
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Part of the process
The development office in the modern independent school: trends and imperatives, by Dr Philip Evans and Tony Bannard-Smith
Look back at any independent school in the 1950s. To me, and perhaps to a fair number of others in positions like mine, this time does not seem that far away. I was at school myself then: memories of long Friday afternoons can quickly come flooding back, with chalk dust hanging in the sunny air, rhododendrons blooming outside on Offa’s Dyke (for me, at least); and no examinations blocking the horizon, for modules had not yet intruded into education, with O-levels and A-levels being examinations that came and went quickly in two late summers of any pupil’s career. ICT would have meant nothing, apart from a probable typing error and league tables would have had something to do with your favourite football team.
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Two heads better than one?
As the remit of headteachers continues to broaden, might there be a better distribution of tasks assigned to them? Tim Edge reports on a new division of labour originating from the United States to help spread the load
In my career as a development director I have been privileged to have worked with some of the most talented headteachers of their generation. One frustration, shared by all, has been the requirement to deal with a plethora of diverse responsibilities, many of which they are neither instinctively drawn to nor trained to fulfil.
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