Go Big!

Monster Knot - aka The Double Windsor

July 1st marked the start of the new fiscal year and the Annual Giving numbers reset to $0!  Regardless of whether goals were achieved or not, that number is now $0.  While we may have other opportunities for people to donate financially in our community (Campus Expansion, Endowment, Scholarship etc.) the campaign a Development Department is most judged by is Annual Giving and you are only as good as last year's annual giving.

In approaching any new year, it is important to set both attainable and audacious goals.   I have been working with our new VP of Development (Lay Position on the Board of Directors) over the past few months to set new goals, build the vision of the department and strategize the key conversations that will help us build upon last year's successes.   While the economy is in an upswing, there is still much uncertainty.  In April, our community lost a major supporter this year, whose donations represented 2.5% of our annual fundraising goal. In addition, there were a few unexpected gifts this year that we can't assume will be replicated.  It will be a great challenge to reach the same levels of success this year, but I am confident it can be done.

What I am most excited about are the audacious goals that our VP of Development and I are setting to move the agency forward.  Our greatest challenge that will have the biggest payoff will be the "Enhance the Culture of Philanthropy" in our community.  For many years, we have been approaching giving as an option rather than an expectation; we have been apologizing for asking rather than explaining to people why their investment matters.  I am excited that all of our leadership, both lay and professional, see this change in presentation as very important.  In addition, we have been in the middle of a Campus Expansion Campaign and have treated Endowment as a lesser priority; I am looking forward to officially rolling out my $20'20 vision to the community and putting equal import on both needs of our community.

There will be many challenges for 2015-2016, but I am excited and ready to go BIG and achieve as many goals as possible and work towards the long-term financial sustainability and success of TBA/JPA.