Future ready, today.
Fundraising Planning Phase EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | SEP 2023 - DEC 2023
Today, AISB is seeking to promote and grow a culture of philanthropy within our community to make targeted investments in our strategic priorities. For this reason, AISB retained external consultants (CCS Fundraising) to conduct a planning phase to gauge reaction to our funding priorities, assess our ability to conduct a significant fundraising initiative, and develop the most effective strategies. An essential part of this phase has been the gathering of 257 opinions from the community through personal conversations and an e-survey.
Overview of the Process
Main Findings
The main objectives of this period have been to:
OVERALL PERCEPTIONS:
Convene a Steering Committee to oversee the planning phase Gather a cross-representation of opinions and feedback through 30 one-on-one conversations Collect 227 responses to a comprehensive e-survey of parents and contactable alumni Review and endorse a report of findings and recommendations for moving forward The following document summarizes the findings and recommendations outlined in the 44-page report developed by our external consultants.
85% of participants and respondents had a favorable perception of AISB.
FUNDRAISING PRIORITIES AND PLAN: Opinions gathered during the planning phase revealed that AISB needs to clearly define specific projects – with timelines and budgets – to successfully secure philanthropic support. Some conversations also revealed a need for greater transparency into the school’s financial position to build trust and confidence.
Main Findings (cont.)
IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING PRIORITIES
FUNDRAISING GOAL: In personal conversations, 62% of participants believed that a $7 million goal was an achievable target for AISB. Most people agreed that this goal was ambitious, but that AISB has enough prospective leadership donors to achieve a significant fundraising target. Respondents also noted that the AISB community is representative of a wide range of economic backgrounds, which will require the school to consider giving opportunities at all levels. WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE: Personally, 44% of those who responded were willing to volunteer their time to fundraising in some capacity, such as serving on a fundraising committee, and 28% were willing to give. Overall, the planning phase received gift indications ranging from $250 to $100,000 per year that equated to more than $1.8 million over a five-year period. Feedback revealed that clearly articulating specific projects or funding opportunities would be critical to motivating prospective donors.
High Priority Medium Priority Low Priority 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%
Campus
Programs
Annual Fund
Recommendations
Next Steps
Based on the feedback received during this planning phase, CCS Fundraising believes the time is right for AISB to begin fundraising, using a phased approach in tandem with annual giving to ensure all families are invited to participate and to strengthen AISB’s culture of giving. CCS has made ten key recommendations:
The AISB’s Steering Committee and Board of Trustees has reviewed and endorsed the above recommendations, and has decided to move forward with the preparatory phase of the campaign (January September 2024).
1. Clearly define funding priorities 2. Prepare for a campaign 3. Recruit 8 - 10 volunteers to serve on a Fundraising Committee 4. Commit to significant involvement of AISB’s leadership in fundraising 5. Identify and engage top prospects and participants from the planning phase 6. Leverage AISB’s network of parent volunteers and alumni to ensure a broad and diverse donor base 7. Launch an annual fund to engage donors at all capacity levels 8. Ensure a strong and consistent pace of activity and communication 9. Develop fundraising policies and procedures 10. Adequately resource fundraising efforts
We look forward to keeping you updated on progress as we strive to ensure that AISB provides the best educational opportunities for all of our community. We are grateful for the ongoing support and dedication of our aisb community. Thank you.
Comments/Questions? Please contact Magdalen Gray, Advancement Director at mgray@aisb.hu