Athletics Webinar A Success

On April 23 Jerry F. Smith and Kay Hargrave of Auburn University Athletics presented a webinar titled, Trends in Athletic Fund-raising, hosted by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). More than 50 institutions participated in the call. In addition to his presentation on trends, Jerry has developed the following list:

12 Things to Remember About Athletic Fund-Raising

1. Sell athletic projects like you would sell projects in any other school.

2. Selling tickets is not fund-raising.

3. Naming opportunities are important to athletic donors.

4. Calls from coaches and the athletics director are more important than recognition gifts.

5. Quality of professionalism of athletic fund-raisers has improved greatly over the last 10 years.

6. Former athletes are NOT big givers.

7. Cultivation of your athletes should start while they are in school.

8. You should have coaches send newsletters to their former athletes three times a year.

9. You should move ticket priority donors with financial capability and/or at least ten years of continuous giving to major donors.

10. Continue to solicit athletic donors, regardless of the type of season you are having. You should NOT stop soliciting donors during a losing season.

11. It's important to have either the athletics director or head coach with the athletic development officer when making a leadership solicitation with a prospect. This will help close a prospect.

12. Your athletic solicitation success rate increases with the number of preliminary or cultivation meetings you have prior to making the ask.