Engagement: the foundation of effective fundraising for schools

Building relationships with the school community must be the foundation of any schools’ development programme if it is to be successful, writes Louise Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE).

As the membership association for schools’ development, we are often asked, ‘what is schools’ development’? It is often assumed that schools’ development is just about raising money, but at IDPE, we define development as ‘the process by which schools seek to engage with their alumni, parents, staff, pupils and other stakeholders to generate support and income to advance a school’s strategic objectives’.

The foundation of any schools’ development programme is building relationships. It is so much harder to ask for a donation from someone you don’t know. Development is about getting to know your community and inviting them to get to know you, and this engagement is essential for fundraising success.

Return on investment

From our benchmarking report in 2018, we can see that, in the first three years of establishing a development office, the return on investment ranges from 0.4 to 1.2. However, with sustained investment, and having taken the time to develop your school’s relationship with its community, the return on investment rises to on average 4.3 during years 4 to 6 and the yield, the return on investment, reaches its highest level in development offices that have been established for more than 20 years.

Our benchmarking report also shows a direct correlation between engagement activity and income raised. For example, schools that reported the greatest success in fundraising held more than the average number of events per year, with those raising more than £1 million running 27 events on average.

We also saw greater average participation in events run by schools that reported raising more than £500k annually.

Opportunity

The pandemic, and more specifically the lockdowns, have given development teams the opportunity to focus on building and strengthening relationships with their communities.

From calling the most vulnerable, to organising online social events for the most isolated; from virtual university inductions for school leavers, to careers talks and online mentoring programmes for graduates – there has been a need to reach out… and not only has this developed existing relationships, but in many cases, schools have engaged with new audiences, in new ways, and identified potential new donors.

From a short membership survey conducted in June 2021, IDPE members were asked to share their views on the impact of the pandemic on their school’s fundraising and engagement programme.

Of the member schools that responded to the survey, 55% of schools reported an increase in the number of individuals attending virtual events, and 50% saw an increase in the number of alumni volunteering.

This was alongside an increase in philanthropic income for 54% of the schools who responded, when compared with the pre-pandemic period.

Fundraising ‘ask’

The fundraising ‘ask’ is essentially the end result of successful engagement.
In fact, some of our most experienced development professionals say that, if done well, the cultivation stage – when you are essentially developing a relationship with a potential donor – makes the fundraising ask implicit; a donation is the natural next step.

Equally, alongside a greater willingness to give, engaged donors are likely to give again and give more. A donation must be seen as part of an on-going relationship and not a one-off transaction. Therefore, it is essential to take the time to get to know your donors personally: invite them to events or to visit the school, ask them to share their expertise through volunteering, show them the difference their donation has made. It is far more cost-effective to retain donors than replace them, and committed and loyal donors are the engines that will drive successful fundraising in your school.

Focus on engagement

The pandemic has given development teams the time to take a step back and focus on engagement. As we return to some normality, it will be essential to continue to find the time to prioritise engagement. Whether an invitation to an event or the opportunity to volunteer, continuing to spend time getting to know your school community and understanding their motivations for giving , will not only create the perfect backdrop for successful fundraising, but also ensure loyalty and long-term support for your school.

MTM can help your school to increase engagement with past pupils – just have a chat with the friendly team.