Anne-Marie Campbell
To discuss some of the ways higher education institutions can effectively fundraise, I talked with Anne-Marie Campbell, founder and principal of Hawk Mountain Strategies, a consulting firm focused on fundraising strategy, training and innovation. Campbell has been in nonprofit fundraising for over 15 years and has raised over $20 million for a variety of higher educational institutions including Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; the University of Notre Dame; and Skidmore College.
Q: First, let’s start with a fairly obvious question. Is it really getting harder for higher education institutions to fundraise and, if so, is it just the economic conditions we are seeing?
A: In general, fundraising throughout the third sector gets harder each year because of competition for donor’s attention and charitable investment. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), there were 1.6 million registered nonprofit organizations in the United States in 2010 and the number has continued to grow by approximately 55,000 new nonprofits annually. There are two primary advantages for higher educational institutions. First, colleges and universities benefit from consistent growth of prospective donor populations each year as students graduate and become alumni, new parents join the community, and existing alumni achieve new levels of professional success and look to give back to places of special meaning. Second, given that most institutions of higher learning involve a four-year residential experience, the college or university becomes a “home away from home.” This built-in emotional connection to campus is unique to higher education and can be very helpful, especially when the residential and academic experiences are positive.
Last year was a positive year for higher educational fundraising. As long as there is stability and/or growth in the U.S. economy, fundraising leaders expect increased results in fiscal year 2015.
Q: Of the higher educational institutions where you previously worked, the University of Notre Dame seems most consistent in achieving successful fundraising results. What would you say has been the university’s greatest strength?
A: Notre Dame’s greatest strengths are its focus on tradition and excellence. Alumni, parents and friends feel deep pride in Notre Dame’s history and values; its rigorous undergraduate and graduate academic experience; its environment of faith and Catholic values; the remarkable and ever-changing physical campus; excellence in athletics; and the thoughtful ways the university engages its constituents. From a fundraising perspective, Notre Dame excels through persuasive storytelling campaigns that utilize print, video, social media and events. They recognize the importance of a donor’s emotional connection to their institution and play to it.
