1. The Small CFR Shop: Strategies for Newcomers
CASE Corporate & Foundation Relations Conference – June 2013
Arminda Lathrop
Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
Willamette University
Willamette University
2. Small Shop Advantages
• Able to prioritize on university-wide level
• Nimble
• Easier traffic to manage
• Can work more closely with MGO’s
• More active role in project development
3. Agenda
To Run a Well-Oiled Small Shop by:
• Prioritizing Funders and Projects
• Setting Measurable Goals
• Organizing People and Projects Around Priorities
• Communicating Needs, Opportunities, Plans
Willamette University
4. Prioritizing Funders
Choose your top 10-15 priority foundations based on:
• Cumulative giving and relationship with university
• Likelihood (Hint: Call a program officer if you’re not sure)
• Capacity as matched with university priorities
• University’s capacity to “staff” relationships
• Future direction of foundation
Once you have you have your priority foundations,
know where you are and where you’re headed
with each of them.
Willamette University
5. Setting Measurable Goals
• Make sure your supervisor understands role of
administration in goals
• Develop $$ and solicitation goals based on who is
in your pipeline
• Set a modest goal for # of new fdns. cultivated
• Set goals for stewardship communications and
events
• Two-year plans with one-year benchmarks best
Willamette University
6. Organizing (Part 1):
Matching Projects and Funders
• Understand university direction and priorities
• Make sure you have your supervisor’s support
• Strategize with major gifts staff
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to make
connections
• If projects need tweaking, don’t discount them
Willamette University
7. Organizing (Part 2):
Project Development
• CFR as Project Developer: A fine line
• Fundable projects aren’t always priorities
• Always contact foundation when possible
• Know if you need multiple funders in order to
be competitive
• Assemble the project team, calendar, and
plan—and manage expectations
Willamette University
8. Organizing (Part 3):
Stewardship and Cultivation
• Schedule stewardship in advance of fiscal year
• Consider unrequired stewardship for priority fdns.
• Work with Donor Relations to manage family
foundations and endowment reports
• Schedule research and cultivation time on Fridays
• Enlist a capable work-study student to troll
websites
Willamette University
9. Sidebar: A Note on Corporations
• The per-hour ROI much less at small colleges
than R1’s and professional schools*
• Most lucrative to focus on foundations as #1
priority
• However, serving as central gatekeeper for
corporate fundraising advantageous
• Centralize and deploy for Corp. Relations
*Unless you have a phenomenal athletics
program
Willamette University
10. Communicating: CFR as Campus Crier
• Get to know as many faculty as possible
• Share RFP’s and foundation priorities with
deans, VP’s, whomever will listen
• Let other development staff know what you’re
working on
• Spread news about faculty successes
Willamette University
11. Communicating: CFR as Social Butterfly
• Make connections with other CFR’s in region
• Explore collaboration with other colleges
• Possible collaboration with area non-profits?
• Take advantage of professional development in
your region to meet area professionals
Willamette University
12. Final Thoughts:
• Don’t “save” funders unless you know what
you’re saving them for
• Your project/ proposal is only as strong as your
institution’s long-range planning
• Don’t let your Business Office diminish your
work: grants don’t support bottom line but
play big role in framing institutional vision
Willamette University
