Philanthropy is a core component of the education sector's culture. Goals and stakes are increasing. In this volatile economic environment, fundraising consultants are often called in to raise sights, provide objective feedback, coach and guide planning and plans.    

 

OAI has a proven track record of successfully raising funds for education clients, including independent schools and universities.  Following is a list of several of our current education clients and recent successes.

  

The Field School (Washington, DC):  OAI is providing an intensive study to analyze the Field School's recent development program performance, the current $5 million capital campaign and the potential for success in a larger campaign.  

  

The Ellis School (Pittsburgh, PA): OAI was hired to assist with the Ellis School's strategic planning needs, including the development of a comprehensive work plan that will identify key tasks and metrics for their top identified strategic initiatives and the facilitation of a Board retreat that occurred earlier this month.   

 

St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School (Washington, DC):  This year, OAI will be conducting a Campaign and Development Program Assessment to test perceptions of the current state of St. Patrick's campaign and fundraising efforts.  The Assessment will aid in preparing for a transition to new leadership of their development office.  OAI is also working with St. Patrick's campaign leadership to successfully close an $8 million capital campaign.

 

Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (Brooklyn, NY): When their Executive Director, Dean of Programs and Development Director positions were vacated, OAI stepped in, assessed all financials, fundraising initiatives, programmatic plans, staffing and organizational structures and developed and presented a restructuring plan for the organization, which was implemented.

   

To view a full list of OAI's education clients, please visit:
http://www.oai-usa.com/our-clients/education.

 

Effective Stewardship Plans at Independent Schools 

There is no aspect of a development program that is more important and more neglected than stewardship; the act of recognizing and thanking donors to cultivate future giving.  In my years running a development office and in working with dozens of clients, I have seen a full range of success in the area of stewardship.  With deep resources of committed parents (past and present), alumni and numerous opportunities for engagement, independent schools will experience a marked improvement in performance with a little care and attention.

What follows are six concrete suggestions for improving your stewardship efforts:

1. Stewardship must be planned.  Annual stewardship plans should be created by the development team and should include a calendar and individualized efforts for the school's most generous donors.
2. Stewardship must be owned by someone.  To be effective, someone on the development staff must be accountable for ensuring stewardship activities take place.
3. Stewardship is everyone's responsibility.  There is a role to be played by the board, the head of school, the development staff and even the faculty and students, but it is the chief responsibility of the development office to be sure planned efforts are happening.
4. Stewardship activities should be recorded.  Particularly for the school's most generous donors, all stewardship activities should become a part of an electronic record and paper files should also be kept.
5. Stewardship activities should be measured for impact.  Statistics such as donor retention, increased giving, number of consecutive years giving, reunion giving, among others, are all reflections of good stewardship activities.  Measurement will lead to great impact.
6. Stewardship is more than saying "thank you".  Gift acknowledgement and gratitude is only the first step in stewardship.  Donor recognition, regular communications and meaningful involvement in the life of the school are keys to an effective stewardship program.

For more information on how OAI can help your school build a better stewardship effort, please contact Dick Walker, Managing Director at dwalker@oai-usa.com or (202) 719-8082.