Annual Service Report to UTLC DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE () ACADEMIC YEAR 2010/2011 1. Overview seeks to deliver on 2 main objectives: Friend-raising - by engaging and enthusing the University s alumni body with a view to creating a support network of funders, advocates, recruiters and advisors; Fundraising - to support the University s goals in teaching, research, access and 3rd strand activities. A. Key Themes and Achievements for 2010/11 Cultivating Friends and Constituencies has worked proactively with a network in Nigeria, the University s Boat Club, the Mudchute Uncles Rugby League Club, Newcastle Kingsmen Sword Dancers, the Ski Club and other societies, alumni groups and Private Reunions. We continued to stay in regular contact with our 71,733 UK based contactable graduates. We also helped to establish and maintain other branches internationally, by working with colleagues from across the University. We provided a service to colleagues in the International Office and Faculties and supported international trips through alumni gifts/goody bags, providing presentations and photo slide shows, collating graduate data and circulating invitations. In all 11 international events were directly supported by, see Appendix 2.0. On-Line communities were developed, and alumni can now keep up to date with University activity through a variety of electronic communications: Facebook 5013 graduate members Twitter 2724 followers LinkedIn 4286 graduate members AlumNews 6 electronic newsletters circulated on a bimonthly basis to circa 40,000 graduates. This newsletter has now been broken down into seven versions: three faculty versions; Phonathon call pool prospect (by faculty); and a general version for non-alumni including staff. Raising Philanthropic Income The Government Matched Funding scheme proved successful in helping to attract an extra 2.75m over three years and also as a means of raising the profile of our work Priority projects are now being identified and agreed by the Development Steering Group to allow better planning for friend-raising and fundraising activity by the team
Increased emphasis on prospect research has allowed a more focussed approach to our solicitation plans Managing Information Increased emphasis on data cleaning and importing of information, with a rolling programme going forward to 2011/12 Upgrading/streamlining of our database will allow more robust reporting and tracking systems going forward B. Major Challenges and Obstacles Realising the full potential of the Government s Matched Funding scheme during a time of economic downturn and cuts to grant programmes by charitable trusts. The scheme was intended to add impetus to fundraising efforts, but a giving campaign on behalf of the sector which was to be led by the Council for Support and Advancement of Education (CASE) was postponed due to the Browne Report. (Daro are delighted to report that Newcastle University achieved the TOP Tier and attracted all the available funds of 2.75m in addition to the target funds achieved through the fundraising programme). The scheme is now closed. Engaging the interest of alumni and other friends in the face of ever increasing competition from other institutions and organisations due to a difficult economic climate. Adequately communicating the University s vision and values to prospective donors through our projects and activities. C. Key Themes of Customer Feedback Following completion of the Think Tank on Development in 2009 all actions have been completed including a visit from Sir Duncan Rice retired Vice-Chancellor of Aberdeen, very experienced in philanthropic support, who met members of the Executive Board. This will be followed up in November with a number of actions to be discussed. In 2009-10 collated feedback about the services and products we offer, from the perspectives of our external customers, which included: Event Feedback: Forms were gathered following events run by for alumni. Very few alumni complete forms, even when incentives are offered. A lot of graduates and guests do feedback verbally events and staff members actively ask for feedback. This is all collated at group meetings and used in preparation for future events.
After three years of great support members of the Alumni Consultative Group (ACG) stepped down and were replaced by a newly elected group of 11 graduates. The new group of members will represent all alumni and will first begin working on the alumni questionnaire. The US Friends Board have continued to act as a sounding board for our friend-raising and fundraising activities. 2. P R O G R E S S T O W A R D S K P I S A N D S T R A T E G I C O B J E C T I V E S Financial Target Outcomes 2010/11 4.0m raised institutionally in new verifiable pledges and new cash donations. Actual raised 4.032m (not including matched funds) KPIs Area Performance Indicator Achievement Fundraising 20 Armstrong Circle Members 15 Recruited 100 Middle/Major Gift Asks 102 200 Middle Gift Meetings 127 200 Major Gift Moves 182 2100 Donors Actively Giving 1691 Alumni Relations 600 new alumni attending 551 events 80 Individuals Engaged in Volunteer Activities Data and Information 100% of new graduates to be 100% contactable Find 1000 un-contactable 2112 graduates Increase the number of UK 895 telephone numbers by 1000 Increase the number of UK home addresses by 1000 3017 Strategic Objectives 2010/11 continued to align its activities with the goals of the Institution. The 3 Faculty Plans, strategic plans for Engagement, Teaching and Learning, and Vision 2021 were vital in helping set our agenda and in shaping our case for support. The Development Steering Group which monitors priority projects for potential philanthropic support, regular meetings with the Faculty PVCs, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Engagement ensures that is able to focus and plan its activities. On-going collaboration with other Services, such as Finance, Careers, Public Relations and the
Marketing and Communications Directorate remains vital to our success and effectiveness. 3. F O R W A R D P L A N S F O R 2011-12 The information below is extracted from the Operational Plan 2011-12. See appendix 1.0 for 2011-12 Targets and KPIs. a) Alumni Relations Engage with current students in order to promote the benefits of the alumni network. Working in partnership with the Students Union and including our overseas graduating classes. Optimise opportunities for engaging alumni by working closely with Schools and other Services in devising events. This will help ensure we are cost effective and relevant. Review and plan how, and our networks, can contribute to the skills development and employability agenda for students of the University. Develop methods for capturing and measuring the value of alumni relations activities. b) Development Continue to respond to changes in our case for support, in light of funding changes, and in order to capitalise on the current coverage by the media on the topic of funding higher education in England. Optimise all opportunities to ask for support through existing channels of communication e.g. Arches, Alum-News, surveys and questionnaires. Increase the number of donors giving to the University, and the rising need for student funding, by increasing scholarship fundraising through gifts of 25k plus and the Promise Fund via the Annual Fund initially. Continue to develop legacy giving, specifically increasing the value of verifiable pledges through membership of the Armstrong Circle, for our major gift pledges. Measurement and reporting the impact of gifts, and multiplier effect of donations. Work with the Chancellor on cultivating our Honorary Graduates/Fellows, and as a figure-head for fundraising. c) Data and Information Continue prospect research on project areas based on relevant areas of criteria improved use of on-line giving and booking systems. Created new front-end to the database in order to integrate reports, documentation and the request tracking system. d) Communications Better define our key constituencies/markets and develop communications to meet their needs and interests e.g. bespoke Alum-News and the Alumni Benefits and Services package. Continue to develop our use of new media and social networking linked to the University sites Continue to innovate through our literature and website development in order to improve communication of our case and ways in which donors can support specific projects. Jane Clubley/Tania Angelopoulos, September 29 th 2011
A P P E N D I X 1.0 D A R O S T A R G E T S A N D K P I S F O R 2 0 1 0-11 Targets 4.5m raised institutionally, in verifiable pledges and new cash donations (including Gift Aid) 100 Armstrong Circle members recruited (rolling target) 2,000 donors giving in the financial year Min. 2 friend-raising events per faculty plus annual reunion weekend 1 annual magazine and 6 electronic versions of the bi-monthly newsletter KPIs Fundraising 50 Armstrong Circle Members Recruited 5 Transformational gifts ( 100k plus) 80 middle/major asks 200 Gift Moves 100 new Meetings per manager 40% income trusts and 60% individuals >2% of contactable alumni giving Cost income ration of >1:6 25 one:one legacy meetings per manager Alumni Relations 600 new alumni to attend events 40 ongoing volunteers working with and 40 new volunteers Data and Information Decrease in un-contactable alumni by 1000 Increase in UK telephone numbers by 1000 Increase in UK home addresses by 1000 100% contact rate on new graduates Improve email addresses by 2000
Appendix 2.0 International Events supported by 2010/11 Month City Organiser October Jakarta International Office/ November December May Singapore Kuala Lumpur Melbourne Athens Beijing Vancouver Toronto Shanghai Switzerland Toronto International Office/ International Office/ International Office/ HASS HASS 29 th September 2011
Jane Clubley/Tania Angelopolous () University Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Committee