Author Archives: Administrator

Analysis and Recommendations for Annual Giving

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Project Description:

The intern conducted a comprehensive study of annual giving mail program at peer institutions and other non-profits. Through in-depth analysis of Target Analytics reports, conversations with annual giving officers and direct marketing experts across the country, and mail-piece analysis, the intern compiled recommendations for implementable changes to Annual Giving’s current mail program based on best practices data compiled through the intern’s research.

Project Showcase 184

Impact:

The annual fund at the University of Michigan plays a major role in the institution remaining strong. This funding is used across various platforms. By discovering and recommending best-practice changes the intern’s work will ensure the Annual Giving team inside the Office of University Development continues to raise funds at a record pace to fulfill many important University and student needs.

Skills Gained:

  • Data Collection
  • Analyzing Skills
  • Benchmarking

 “The networking and professional development opportunities were absolutely fantastic for a young professional.”

-Adam Crowell, D-SIP ‘13

Foundation Relations and the School of Education

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Project Description:

The intern worked closely with the gift officer in Foundation Relations dedicated to the School of Education’s Detroit School of Arts (DSA) project, and developed and edited foundation proposals and assisted with major gift prospect work. The intern also helped the School of Education identify and apply to small grants for instruments, books and art supplies on behalf of DSA. In addition, the intern provided a fundraising workshop to the DSA students as part of the youth development curriculum.

Impact:

More financial support will allow for the School of Education to further its reach and eventually allow for it to partake in even more projects. Overall, the project contributed to a stronger relationship between the School of Education and the Detroit School of Arts, which in turn helps the reputation of both institutions and allows them both to continue to impact society in a positive way.

Project Showcase 133

Skills Gained:

  • Grant Writing
  • Strategy and Planning
  • Identification Skills

“Through D-SIP, I learned to look at issues from multiple perspectives in order to understand where people are coming from and why they navigate problems the way they do.”

-Raul Jimenez, D-SIP ‘13

Highlighting Impact One Step at a Time

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Project Description:

In order to support the work of the upcoming campaign as well as future campaigns, the intern created tools, systems, and resources to enhance and make more effective, reliable, and streamlined impact reporting across various University units. The intern created templates and learning resources that will allow units to quickly and effectively leverage the data to create impact reporting that can be further personalized. To complete this project, the intern worked with the Stewardship team inside the Office of University Development (OUD).

Stewardship 2

Impact:

Effective stewardship is key to maintaining strong and long lasting relationships with donors, and this project helped to create an easier, less time-intensive way to make impact reports. All of these efforts will now allow the Stewardship team within the Office of University Development to disseminate messages of donor impact more effectively as well as have the ability to teach other campus units how to utilize these improved resources.

Skills Gained:

  • Data Management
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Relationship Building

 “D-SIP taught me how to understand myself within a professional context and how to approach philanthropic problem solving. My work experience in Stewardship gave me a really rich perspective on how to maintain relationships by giving donors meaningful information about how they make a difference, but this insight has also crossed over to my personal relationships. I am more mindful of how I communicate to the people around me the impact they have in my life.”

-Alicia Patterson, D-SIP ‘13

Measuring the Return on Investment of Athletic Events

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Project Description:

Michigan Stadium

The intern developed multiple tools to make it easier for Athletic Development staff to coordinate and measure fundraising events. First of all, the intern created a Return on Investment (ROI) report template, which showcased the areas of opportunity when evaluating event attendance and donor giving. Secondly, the intern developed a user guide, or toolkit, which explained how to upload football suite event information in the new Donor Alumni Relationship Tool (DART) module. The module is an application within DART to input all event information. Lastly, the intern created a communication plan and timeline to distribute the toolkit to the UM Development Community, so others know how to efficiently add football suite events.

Impact:

The ROI report template helps Athletic Development create events that have a high return on investment, which ultimately helps grow Michigan Athletics. Events will be more cost effective and successful, in terms of donor cultivation. This project allowed the intern to utilize skills that are transferrable to multiple development or events career field.

Skills gained:

  • Event ROI Importance
  • Navigating Relationships
  • Critical Analysis

“Overall, I learned how to put on events that are successful and are worth what they cost. This knowledge will help me be successful in any event planning role. ”

-Meredith Westerlund, D-SIP ’13

College of Engineering International Communications and Development Project

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Description:

The intern was charged to accomplish three main tasks: “implement the International Ambassador Program for Faculty, determine and carry out enhancement to the international communication plan, and build a pool of high net worth individuals”.

International Engineering

Impact:

The Intern helped build the IT infrastructure and internal processes that has ensured a successful implementation of the International Ambassador Program for Faculty. He also worked on strategic recommendations and presented to the Advancement leadership, the Office of Communications and Marketing, and the Engineering Dean on actionable recommendations. He was also able to identify platforms and channels that are likely to lead Advancement to high net worth donors, building a pool of more than 40 high capacity prospects through the summer.

Skills Gained:

  • Communications
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Time and priority management

“The summer reaffirmed my career passions. The most meaningful part of the summer was seeing my recommendations turning into realities. ”

-Peter Han, D-SIP ‘13

The Class Agent Program

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Description:

At the Law School, the intern worked closely with the Director of Annual Giving to strengthen the Class Agent Program. The Class Agents are alumni volunteers who represent their graduating class and serve as liaisons between the Law School and their class. The Class Agents are important because they work with Annual Giving to encourage their classmates to make annual contributes to the Law School Annual Fund; also encouraging new annual pledges. The project was to engage Class Agents, build camaraderie, and enthusiasm throughout the University wide capital campaign beginning in the Fall of 2013. Feedback was sought out from the Class Agents’ experience through surveys and meetings with current Class Agents.

Impact:

Although the project was not complete, the Annual Giving team was about to receive feedback from the current Class Agents volunteering in the program and transform the program effectively. As a team we were able to find out what works and what is not working for the volunteers to improve their strategies or class connections.

Law School

Skills Gained:

  • Stewardship
  • Effective Communication
  • Data Analysis
  • Project Management
  • Innovative Thinking

“ My experience at the Law School was so rewarding because I got the opportunity to work in all aspects of development from Annual Giving to Stewardship to Alumni Relations, all coming together to assist in making my project something that will be useful to the office and upcoming capital campaign. ”

– Chatoris Jones, D-SIP ‘13

Peace Neighborhood Online Marketing Revamp

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Description:

Peace Neighborhood Center is a social services non-profit that serves the west side of Ann Arbor. This year it celebrated its 42nd Birthday and is a well established service provider for the community. Peace receives more than half of its budget from donor support. As Such Donor engagement and stewardship are immensely important. Peace has relied almost exclusively on mail solicitations and fundraisers to receive support in the past. Though this has been successful and will continue to be, the Development Director and Executive director agreed it was time to bring Peace into the 21st century of fundraising with a push for more online involvement. Thus the intern project consisted of utilizing E-newsletters, social media, and a complete redesigning of the website to create a fresh and updated online way for the center to engage its community and donors.

Impact:

The biggest impact the intern’s project had was creating a new face for Peace online with its new website. The new website is more updated, has much needed features: an embedded donate button, an integrated calendar, and updated program descriptions. The site will be the face of the organization for many important functions in the coming years. It will be a touch point for clients and donors alike. It will be a resource used when engaging new supporters. It will streamline volunteer activities and make communication much more hassle free.

Furthermore, the intern’s efforts with social media and other online tools have provided a much needed outlet for the community to engage on a more individualized basis with the organization. The best practices documents compiled by the intern for these features will allow for them to continue at the high level of involvement the intern established.

Finally, the marketing for fundraisers, donation solicitations, and other operations facilitated by the intern will have brought in total of over $4,000 for the organization over the course of the summer.

Peace Center

Skills Gained:

  • Time management
  • Web and content design
  • Cross Platform Marketing
  • Persuasive and concise communication techniques
  • Stewardship
  • Grant making process

“D-SIP has fundamentally changed me for the better. It is one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve ever had a chance to engage in. If you are still considering applying to this program stop thinking and apply now. Come August you’ll thank yourself, I guarantee it.”

-Winston Kelly, D-SIP ’13

Ford School of Public Policy Donor Intent Guide

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Project Description:

The intern for the Ford School of Public Policy was given the responsibility to create a binder categorizing all of the Ford School’s major gifts because of the need to track and organize donor intent files. This project required locating articles of donor intent (gift agreements, foundation letters) for approximately 30 of the Ford School’s major gifts. It also included synthesizing the information from each gift agreement into a summary page containing all vital facts about the gift. Additionally, this compilation required finding each gift agreement and organizing the data into a comprehensive format for analysis or quick reference. The final binder is kept with the director of development and used for stewarding the precise functions of the funds.

Ford School

Impact:

The Ford School donor intent guide will be used as a central hub of information for all departments to use. If there is any question about using a certain fund, the binder can be consulted to determine if that fund can be used for a particular purpose. The donor intent guide will also aid in organization and stewardship

In the future, having a donor intent book can also help determine various metrics of Ford School funds, helping the development office understand major gifts by donors, gift amounts and intent. Future research can also be done on the drivers behind student philanthropy and major gifts.

Tasks Completed:

  • Created and executed systematic step-by-step list to track donor intent pieces for 30+ major gifts:

(1)   Tracking through LID#/Fund Number/Finance Shortcode in DART.

(2) Uncover hard copies of personal donor files kept by the Ford School.

(3)   Cross-reference files of Chief Administrative Officer, Marcella Brighton.

(4)   Contact Office of University Development Stewardship for assistance

  • Organized gifts agreements into categories based on programmatic use.
  • Created individual summary pages for each gift with important information such as year-to-date balance, donor intent and other reference materials.
  • Completed final gift agreement binder containing all 30 Ford School funds formatted and organized with major items of donor intent. Presented to Director of Development, Dan Ginis and Major Gifts Officer, Sonia Gill for review

Skills Gained:

  • Systematic Problem Solving
  • Inquisition and Clarification
  • Communication and Flexibility
  • DART Database Familiarity

“My D-SIP experience has given me lessons applicable for the development profession and everyday life. From learning how to take care of important relationships to proper etiquette to professional development, the life experiences I have taken away from D-SIP will stay with me for a long time.”

-Cat Knoerr, D-SIP ’13

Foundation Funding for U-M Cancer Programs

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Cancer Center

Project Description:

The D-SIP intern was responsible for contributing to a Corporate and Foundations portfolio for the Cancer Research at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). The depth and quality of research being done on cancer within UMHS and Comprehensive Cancer Center is unparalleled. This means more opportunities for corporations and foundations to fund groundbreaking research. The D-SIP intern benchmarked Corporation and Foundation Relations(CFR) practices against peer institutions, especially regarding team function and operations.  Furthermore, the D-SIP intern built resources that will help the CFR and Cancer teams to collaborate, including research directories and foundation calendars specific to cancer.

Impact:

This project helps foster collaboration between teams in the Office of Medical Development and Alumni Relations. The resources created through this project establish a framework for future collaboration between the Corporate and Foundation Relations team and the fundraising cores. Effective collaboration in the arena will build the capacity of our organization to inspire the most philanthropic support possible from the most people possible for the best minds in medicine.

Skills Gained:

  • Conducting Interviews
  • Research
  • Database management
  • Program development
  • Collaboration

“Because my project was specifically a collaborative undertaking, I learned so much about team building and program development. More importantly, I’ve been so impressed how complex yet highly functioning a fundraising operation can be!”

– Sam Lewis, D-SIP ’13

Developing Stewardship Techniques for a new Development Microsite

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Project Description:

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is a top-tier business school, known for its undergraduate BBA program. The intern was tasked with creating initial content and implementation strategies for the new development microsite (“Give to Ross”). As part of the project, over 50 schools’ websites were benchmarked and interviews were conducted with Development, Marketing & Communications, and IT staff across the country. As a result, six stewardship recommendations were created as well as three general recommendations. The intern’s work will allow the Ross School of Business to tangibly recognize and communicate the impact of donors and donor support.

Ross School of Business

Impact:

Internal: This project will serve as a baseline for the direction and content of the new development microsite. Throughout the summer, the intern worked and developed relationships with various departments in Ross to create a final proposal that fit each department’s needs and availability. By building a strong foundation, the Development staff will be able to more easily implement suggested stewardship techniques.

External: By conducting an overhaul of the current development site and implementing new stewardship techniques, alumni who visit the page will be able to see why giving is important and what their gifts are used for. The microsite will provide donors with accurate, up-to-date information, which will ultimately enhance engagement with the school and foster better relationships with a broad base of donors.

Skills Gained:

  • Adaptation & flexibility
  • Professional Ownership
  • Strategy & planning
  • Stewardship
  • Synthesis

“Not only did this project teach me why development is important and necessary at Michigan, it pushed me to grow both professionally and personally. I learned the importance of professional ownership and I have a much greater appreciation for my school and all the opportunities it has allowed me to have.”

-Kimberly Cui, D-SIP ‘13