Shifting donor preferences put pressure on fundraising priorities. Whether we’re in a campaign or simply trying to reach an annual goal, principal gift donors expect innovative, multidisciplinary giving opportunities that are unique to an institution’s strengths.
Yet this is often easier said than done. Provosts and deans are often too busy for dedicated blue-sky thinking sessions. In some cases, a dean’s vision is presented as a list of current operating needs, not the compelling story that will excite donors at the top of the giving pyramid.
To move beyond day-to-day needs, expand the visioning process beyond academic deans: Ask faculty about their own research and ideas. Instead of asking a handful of professors about their work, best practice institutions conduct campus-wide idea sourcing processes in order to determine the widest variety of potential fundraising priorities.
Lead the big ideas process
Successful big ideas processes are led by committees featuring campus leaders, key donors or volunteers, and other stakeholders. The leadership committee is responsible for setting criteria for success and selecting the best ideas. At the same time, advancement staff can answer questions and build enthusiasm across campus to increase faculty participation.
Choosing committee members from across campus builds buy-in and ensures that all ideas are evaluated holistically. The provost’s involvement shows faculty that the process is a core academic priority. Deans can plan information sessions that meet the needs of the faculty in their units, while chief business officers can allocate internal funding for strong ideas that need seed funding before they can be presented to a donor.
A new tool to kick off the process
To start a big ideas process, the leadership committee needs to understand why the process is important and set criteria to identify the best ideas. In order to make the introductory meeting as easy as possible to manage, the Advancement Forum has created a ready-to-use kickoff presentation for advancement leaders beginning big ideas processes on their campuses.
Use the presentation to introduce why a big ideas process is necessary, set criteria for success, and make a calendar for the process. The presentation can be delivered by advancement staff alone or in tandem with the provost. Each slide includes talking points and customizable graphics—feel free to add information about your institution’s current goals, priorities, and campaign plans.
Once the process has been introduced, create a plan to communicate the criteria and timeline to partners across campus—and watch the idea proposals roll in.
Explore more tools to source big ideas
Discover six tools to guide a big ideas process, from sourcing ideas to scoring proposals. Download the toolkit.