Fundraising Talks
News and updates from the USM Office of
Advancement Research
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Looking for funding opportunities? We've identified a few funds that might be useful to you. Visit the links below to learn more about the requirements and deadlines for these opportunities. 
 
(Deadline: November 1, 2021) 

(Deadline: November 5, 2021)

(No Deadline)
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Director of Advancement Research
301.445.2709

Office Clerk
301.445.1950
Letter from the Director
According to The Forbes 400 list, nearly all of the wealthiest Americans are richer than they were a year ago, as their “collective fortune increased 40 percent over the last year, to $4.5 trillion.” Forbes ranked the generosity of these wealthy individuals and found that their philanthropic giving did not increase in comparison to their fortunes. The data indicates that “the number of Forbes 400 members who gave away more than 20 percent of their net worth dropped from 10 to eight, while those who gave away less than 1 percent of their wealth rose from 127 to 156.”

We'd like to point out some key findings from another recent report, "2021 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy: Charitable Giving by Affluent Households." This study is based on a random sample of 1,626 households that have a net worth of $1 million or more (which excludes the value of a primary home) and or/an annual household income of $200,000 or more. Though we see a decline in philanthropic giving by the country’s wealthiest, this study on affluent households may provide a better picture for fundraisers about wealthy households in the U.S. It’s encouraging to learn that affluent families continued to contribute to charities in 2020, just as they had in previous years. Not only did these affluent families continue to give, but their giving amounts also increased. 

Outlined below are some of the key findings from this report:

  • Affluent households remained generous and consistent in their giving.
  • The average amount given to charity increased since 2017.
  • The top three types of charities supported were basic needs, religion, and education.
  • The highest average gift amounts were given to religion, basic needs, and education.
  • Sustainable and impact investing participation nearly doubled compared to 2017.
  • More affluent donors used giving vehicles than in 2017.
  • Affluent individuals expressed confidence in the ability of businesses, governments, nonprofits and individuals to solve societal problems.

As noted above, education is among the top three types of charities supported by these affluent households. Education received 74 percent of unrestricted gifts from these households. Though we cannot predict their future giving, 74 percent of affluent households surveyed do not expect to change their long-term philanthropic behaviors. 20 percent of these households expect their charitable giving to be more directed to specific issues and 5 percent do not intend to give restrictive gifts.

The results from another study completed by Fidelity Charitable, explores the effect of COVID-19 on the giving behavior of individuals who donated at least $1,000 to charity in 2020. It determines that “9 in 10 donors plan to give the same or more in 2021 than they did in 2020.” During the past year, donors embraced new channels and methods for giving and they continue to do so in 2021. There has been an increase in the number of individuals that volunteered virtually in 2020, where one-third of donors say they plan to participate in virtual volunteer activities moving forward. This shows a new shift in how individuals want to engage with organizations in post-pandemic times.

Let’s hope that higher education continues to attract generous contributors who will bring a positive impact to the industry in the near future. As always, feel free to reach out us with questions, comments or any assistance with prospect research!

Best Regards,
Sapna and USM Advancement Research Team
Did you know?

The University System of Maryland Foundation has access to a library of recorded webinars from the Annual Giving Network (AGN) that you may watch at any time from your computer. While we cannot currently gather in person for professional development events, this work from home period provides a great opportunity for you to learn on your own time! Please click here to see what webinars are available from AGN.
 
If you are interested, please email Linda Bowman (lbowman@usmd.edu) and she will help you access these webinars for free. Please do not try to access these webinars on your own, as you will be charged a fee.

Please also note that the Foundation only has access to free AGN webinars, not workshops. Workshops are available at a marginally discounted rate.
David Weerts and Alberto Cabrera, two professors studying college outcomes and alumni engagement, have come to the conclusion that the seeds of alumni support are sown prior to students enrolling in college. A student's precollege experience shapes their inclination to help others and serve society, which in turn, later influences their decision to support their alma mater. Weerts and Cabrera have defined four categories that students sort themselves into that define their post-college engagement as alumni. They are:

  • Eagles: a small category of “super alumni” who are involved in college and later with their alma mater through a full range of volunteer and political advocacy activities.
  • Cheetahs: students who are heavily involved in political organizations in college and support their alma mater through political advocacy.
  • Hummingbirds: students that stay clear of politics both in and after college. As alumni, they put their energies into nonpolitical volunteer activities.
  • Koalas: students content to keep walking by in college and remain content to keep walking by after college.

This article from CASE Currents explores each student category in great detail and provides ideas on how you can engage your "koalas." Click here to read more.
Giving Tuesday is fast approaching (November 30!) and it's time to start refining your plans if you haven't done so already. This blog post from sgENGAGE gives three tips for Giving Tuesday success in 2021. First, determine your Giving Tuesday goals and review your previous Giving Tuesday plans and annual goals. Think about your organization's biggest needs and compare your needs to your goals to ensure they are in alignment. Second, share your organization's impact, as well as the consequences of missed impact opportunities, in your Giving Tuesday communications. Lastly, plan your communications around channel, audience, and timing. Consider developing open rate goals, new follower goals, and like and share goals for your communications. Click here to read more.
Greg Warner, chief executive of MarketSmart, a Greenbelt, Maryland-based company, believes that donor falloff occurs because donors are turned off by the transactional nature of traditional solicitations. Individually tailored solicitation is a better strategy than mass solicitation, but implementing this takes time and planning. Warner suggests focusing on a small group of donors first and instead of immediately soliciting them, give them something of value at no cost, such as special reports, donor surveys, or free newsletters. Warner noted that a top-tier university identified 43 new major donor prospects by paying $900 to get people to subscribe to its newsletters on Facebook. Read more of Warner's strategies here.
Is research data free of bias? Sharise Harrison, senior director of prospect management and analytics at Santa Clara University, and her team believe that taking a critical look at data may lead to cultivation of a more diverse set of donors. At Santa Clara University, the advancement database did not contain race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or preferred gender identity, or disability status, which Harrison says is necessary to understand an institution's full constituency. Currently, her team is working to add this information from student and parent records, alumni surveys and other sources. From there, Harrison and her team will examine their work and ensure that their fundraisers are making a similar number of outreach efforts to different racial groups. They will also use metrics to see if certain email campaigns fall short with any one group of people and reformulate their efforts based on the data.
Making the case for supporting your institution's annual fund should be more than explaining the gap between tuition revenue and operating expenses. Your appeal should highlight specifics, such as how annual fund donors help the school attract and retain top faculty, devise cutting edge programs, and aid students who may otherwise not be able to attend your university. Additionally, refine or create your annual fund gift table, segment your appeals, lean on your board, and remember that hope is not a strategy. Read GG+A's full list of recommendations here.