Who handles fundraising?

[ctstorm]

I am a long-time and frequent donator (of very small amounts) to the University. Yesterday, I received an envelope for a donation. It was just a form with a box to check for the amount. No cover letter, no thanks for your past donations, no dinner and a movie, no indication of where the money was going. Very bush league. I donate to two other schools which do it much more professionally. Needless to say, the envelope went into the recycling.

 

[beast of the east]

I am a long-time and frequent donator (of very small amounts) to the University. Yesterday, I received an envelope for a donation. It was just a form with a box to check for the amount. No cover letter, no thanks for your past donations, no dinner and a movie, no indication of where the money was going. Very bush league. I donate to two other schools which do it much more professionally. Needless to say, the envelope went into the recycling.

I would say I receive no less than 3-4 letters per month asking for additional donations from the school When I donate, I receive thank you letters, enrollment to the Loughlin Society, etc.

I would agree that SJU has a very haphazard approach to fundraising. When my kids went to Villanova, before the first parent's weekend, the school's development knew what I did for a living, where I worked, and had someone from their development office who covered where I live come out and have lunch with me without a full court press for money. As a result of their highly professional efforts, parents are their largest group of donors. To boot, I would receive hand written thank yous from the university President that always had personal notes indicating he knows my family.

Now, although Boston College has an incredible endowment, their efforts to go after me as a parent have been non-existent. As a result, they won't see any donations from me now or in the future.

As a bottom line to SJU fundraising, I do feel strongly that I was a beneficiary of a private college educaiton that cost between $1100-1500 during my tenure as a student. However provided, that was a gift that launched my career, and as I finish up paying my kid's tuition's I feel that it will be time to payback. I've already started with what for me are significant donations.

 

[L J S A]

Obviously there is a difference in the amount of cash donated, but I edit a ton of fundraising materials, thank you letters, etc. for Stanford. At least five times a year I work on 50+-page publications dedicated to donors. It's really not that hard to whip something small up to make a St. John's donor feel appreciated.

 

[beast of the east]

Obviously there is a difference in the amount of cash donated, but I edit a ton of fundraising materials, thank you letters, etc. for Stanford. At least five times a year I work on 50+-page publications dedicated to donors. It's really not that hard to whip something small up to make a St. John's donor feel appreciated.

For their part, SJU has similar publications. It's the old adage, you have to spend money to make money, and SJU hasn't put the most competent staff together.