Athletic Facility Fundraising Funding your project is YOUR reality Ernest Graham, Design Consultant Introduction and Due Diligence Principal-in-Charge, ELA Sport Lititz and State College Pennsylvania Brian Jamiolkowski, Fundraising Consultant Fundraising Campaigns Managing Partner, The NCS Group, Ltd. Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Matthew Madden, Fundraising Consultant Fundraising Campaigns Managing Partner, The NCS Group, Ltd. Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Raising money for athletic fields, facilities, and improvements is a constant topic among athletic directors, coaches, and sports booster groups. The questions of How much do we need?, Where can we find it?, and in many cases, Why isn t there more of it? are frequent and pressing topics. Fundraising is a growing reality on for most non-profit and public athletic program providers, being public schools, recreation associations, and municipalities in the current economic climate. Given current economic realities, we anticipate that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. Historically, fundraising and donor sponsorship was more closely associated with the private or independent school market. Reduced government funding and rising costs has reduced public capital program budgets for facilities and programs more often being considered non-essential, such as athletics. In the past five (5) years, our personal athletic facility planning experience has seen funding by booster groups and non tax dollar sources rise from approximately 10-20% to more than 50% of projects considered to be public sector facilities.
Athletic field and facility fundraising is influenced by many social and economic factors, including the following: Community interest in the project (motivated by need, community pride, or selfinterest) Donation goal to fund or partially fund the project (typically $600,000 to 1 million dollars for most synthetic turf field projects) Population density and availability of large donor sources, including individuals, local businesses, and corporations Community household and business economic strength Motivated leadership and recruitment of influential prospects and donors Duration of the fundraising process, maintaining momentum, visibility of the campaign
There tends to be many ways to raise money for to achieve smaller funding goals, such as uniforms, equipment, and even extending to some facility improvements like grandstands and field lighting. These campaigns can be somewhat improvised along the way with multiple avenues possible to achieve the fundraising goal. As the fundraising goal for larger projects, such as a synthetic turf field, stadium type facilities, and field houses, approaches 1 million dollars and much higher, there are fewer possible paths for fundraising success in most communities. Volunteer and Booster Group Fundraising ( Grassroots ) Lower fundraising goals ($500,000 and less) Shorter duration of campaign Emotional connection (Individual based) Professional Fundraising (Capital Campaigns) Higher fundraising goals ($1,000,000 and higher) Increased campaign period Return on Investment and Emotional Connection(Corporate and Influential Donor Based)
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY/DONOR ASSESSMENT The Feasibility Study/Donor Assessment is based on confidential interviews with selected individuals, corporate and business leaders, governmental officials, athletic club representatives and key community leaders. The interviews are designed to garner information to: Determine a realistic and attainable fundraising goal Assess which parts of the proposed project are of interest to the community Identify potential campaign leadership, volunteers, and major donor prospects Raise awareness of the coming campaign among key people Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a potential campaign Identify the public perception of the organization Determine the appropriate timing to start and implement a capital campaign Identify any competing fundraising initiatives within the same geographical area
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS The Feasibility Study/Donor Assessment is a three (3) month process. The first month is the preparatory stage for Study materials. The second month is for personal interviews and direct mail responses and the third month is spent compiling all detailed data from the Study participants. Upon completion of the process, the organization has the opportunity to review and finalize the Campaign goal and objectives from the document that is provided. Information and materials to be used in the Feasibility Study/Donor Assessment: Identify the needs of the organization and detail financial accountability for the goal Write a well-defined Case Statement and Assessment Questionnaire Compile support materials, inclusive of Naming Opportunities, architectural drawings, etc., detailing the project for the Study participants Identify 50 to 60 individuals for personal interviews Identify 500 people to receive the direct mail materials and Questionnaire All interviews are confidential. Only the information provided by the interviewees will be reflected in the Assessment. Comments, suggestions and remarks will NOT be attributed to any specific individual.
Capital Campaign A Capital Campaign is a concentrated effort by an organization to raise a specific sum of money to meet a specific goal within a specific period of time. A campaign can be officially launched, if there is a real need or urgency of an organization to conduct the Capital Campaign at that time, if there are enough prospects with financial capability to whom the campaign can be addressed and if there are enough volunteers on the governing board to lead the Campaign and help assure its success.
To launch a Capital Campaign, a multi-phase campaign plan is specifically designed for your organization that explains, in detail, the mechanisms and techniques used to achieve the desired goal. The following objectives will be completed: Review and confirm reasons for the Campaign Confirm goal and financial accountability for Campaign purposes Identify and recruit campaign leadership and volunteers Increase public relations and visibility for the organization and Campaign Identify, evaluate and solicit key financial donors Promote Gifts-in-Kind and Naming Opportunities Provide detailed financial reporting during Campaign process Golden rule of fundraising: Friends give to friends, peers give to peers. Raise funds in lieu of taxes to support YOUR school or community project!