Innovative Strategies
to Improve Parent
Fundraising Results
Christine Steiner, Director of The Gunnery Fund,
The Gunnery
Johanna Haan, Director of Parent Programs,
The Hotchkiss School
Agenda
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School Profiles
New programs
Methodology
Results
The Hotchkiss School
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Traditional New England Boarding School
Based in Northwest Connecticut
Founded in 1891
Grades 9 – 12
Co-educational, 600 students
o 17% international
o 35% on financial aid/65% full pay and capable
of leadership giving
History of Senior Parents
Gift
• Program existed for 10 years until 2005
• Eliminated for several reasons
o Annual Fund needed a boost
o Difficult to choose a project
• Re-established in 2016 to:
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Improve overall parent giving
Provide a specific “bricks and mortar” project
Create momentum among senior parents
Continue parent giving beyond graduation
Implementation
• Chose project most important to School
(Faculty Housing)
• Approached leadership donors in the fall,
to establish initial strong commitment
• Solicited remaining parents in spring (via
mail) – dual ask: annual fund and SPG over
3 years
• No committee or volunteers utilized
• Aim for 100% participation
Class of 2016 Senior Parents Gift: Renovation of
the Fairfield Farm main house into faculty housing
Results: Significantly increased
parent fundraising totals
Lessons Learned
• Start much earlier in discussions with
leadership donors
• Have plans and literature ready Sept. 1
• Consider creating a committee
• Use existing volunteer structure
• Involve top donors in project choice
• Consider a “kick off/announcement” event
during Parents Weekend
The Gunnery
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Traditional New England Boarding School
Located in Washington, CT
Founded in 1850
Grades 9 – 12
Co-educational; 298 students
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32% day, 68% boarding
21% international
55% on financial aid ($2,500-$57,000)
45% full pay
The Goal
To turn the Annual Fund
(and the Parents Fund) on its head!
The Stats
The Gunnery
Fund
The Parents
Fund
FY 2015-16
FY 2014-15
FY 2013-14
$1,332,610
$1,274,022
$1,319,701
# of Donors
1144
1137
1105
Participation
29.9%
29.7%
28.9%
$344,950
$319,436
$245,378
# of Donors
210
197
177
Participation
75%
74%
66%
Dollars
Dollars
Gunnery Fund 16-17
Overall dollar goal: $1,450,000
Donor goal: 1816 = 48% participation
Parents Fund: $360,000
Donor goal: 298 = 100% participation
How...?
Utilize the 200th birthday of our Founder,
Frederick Gunn, to engage alumni, parents,
and friends in a year-long celebration of his
life and legacy.
• Goal: 1816 donors
• 672 more donors than 2015-16 (1144)
Create appeals that can be used for all
constituents and follow up with more
targeted appeals as the year progresses.
• September: Birthday Card mailed to ALL
• October: All School Walk
• Parents invited to this event for
the first time
• October: Parents Weekend
• Raffle – 63 parents bought tickets
• November: Video appeal and postcard to ALL
• Giving Tuesday:
• Email and social media blitz
• 21 parents and alumni at on-campus phonathon
• 12 students and 5 faculty members did day calling
• 245 gifts! Most we have ever received in one day!
Where are we now?
Parents Fund as
of January 1, 2017:
$95,846
147 donors
53%
Parents Fund as
of January 1, 2016:
$77,533
87 donors
31%
Strategy: January-June 30, 2017
Continue using Mr. Gunn’s words to engage:
“Perseverance”
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February: Parent Volunteers start calls
February: Student vs Faculty participation challenge (weeklong)
March: Video appeal to ALL
April: Giving Challenge for ALL
• GIVE $200K GET $200K (weeklong)
• Will include parent and alumni phonathons
May: Parent Participation challenge between classes
May: Senior Parent Appeal
• Senior parent calling night
• Peer to peer email
• Letter to welcome new Parents of Alumni
May: Parents of Alumni Reception
Website and Social Media
• GUNN200 Theme on Parents Fund webpage
• Includes dollars/participation and “gift counter”
• Social Media:
• Twitter - Head of School, Peter Becker tweeted the
morning of Giving Tuesday
• Facebook live – video with Peter Becker and the
Gunn Society students
• Instagram posts of parent and alumni donors with
“I’m with Fred” signs & Gunnery gear for Giving
Tuesday
• Highlander Weekly
• Weekly e-news to parents that included updates
Lessons Learned
• Start planning early!
• Be flexible
• Consider appeals that cross over multiple
constituencies
• Be creative
• Take a risk!