“If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you."
- Fred DeVito.
Visionary Leadership and Growth Mindset
With Visionary Leadership being an essential part of our Seven Circles of Vitality, Catholic school leaders today must be collaborative, with a bold vision, while creating a culture of growth and continuous improvement
At Catholic Vitality 360, through our workshops, partnerships and coaching processes, we see each day, the direct benefit of seeing challenges as opportunities, with an openness to embracing change.
Take a moment to think about the top three challenges facing your school. Pause for reflection…what are these challenges and how can you get started today on executing real solutions? This simple exercise represents the concept of growth mindset. For deep and lasting change to occur, you must be fearless in the face of change and keep the mission and vision as paramount.
The Annual Appeal as a Foundational Advancement Process
Within the Four Pillars of Advancement: 1) People Engagement 2) Image and Marketing 3) Enrollment Growth and 4) Sustaining Revenue, we find the essential and foundational Advancement Process, the Annual Appeal. Beyond just another fundraiser, the Annual Appeal seeks to engage hundreds of people in your mission, vision and address specific campus needs with a broad range of three to four projects, including tuition assistance and endowment growth.
For a successful Annual Appeal, here are the keys to success:
- The Annual Appeal has the full support of school administration, faculty, staff and School Advisory Council and parent volunteers.
- The Annual Appeal is part of the School Strategic Vision and Advancement Vitality Process.
- The Annual Appeal is executed with best practices and the highest ethical standards and giving protocols.
- The Annual Appeal seeks gifts for specific goals that have broad appeal and high student impact and includes Gifts of Prayer, Pledge and Participation (volunteering).
- The Annual Appeal invites gifts from numerous and segmented stakeholder groups: parents, parishioners, faculty, staff, grandparents, alumni, businesses, friends, past parents and grant funders.
- The Annual Appeal operates with a committed volunteer leadership team and ambassador group that meets regularly, host receptions and makes personal contact with donor families.
- The Annual Appeal has a set of professionally-printed materials that tells the story of the projects and invites participation.
- The Annual Appeal executes a daily, weekly and monthly marketing plan with creative and diverse strategy, including social media and a website giving page.
- The Annual Appeal from August 1st through June 30th with monthly activity, with July being an assessment and planning month.
- The Annual Appeal is part of the school’s annual report, sharing the results of the effort, listing donors and establishing good stewardship of the dollars raised.
Ten Jumpstart Strategies
Along with the above keys to success, here are ten strategies to jumpstart the Annual Appeal:
- Jumpstart Strategy #1: Based on the school strategic vision, determine three to four goals or funding areas for the Annual Appeal, with a theme, logo and visual images
- Jumpstart Strategy #2: Carefully and strategically plan the full monthly calendar of Annual Appeal activities, videos, mailings, milestones and events.
- Jumpstart Strategy #3: Personally invite 20-25 families to serve as Annual Appeal Chairs and Ambassadors to share your message, invite others to give and host key events.
- Jumpstart Strategy #4: By October 1st, conduct an Annual Appeal “Launch Party” on campus with presentations, testimonials and festive atmosphere.
- Jumpstart Strategy #5: By October 1st, announce 100% participation by faculty, staff and school leadership groups.
- Jumpstart Strategy #6: Host two to three “Facebook Frenzy” live events that promote the Annual Appeal and invite gifts. These annual appeal telethons serve as social media content and promotional material.
- Jumpstart Strategy #7: Invite the students to participate in fun giving events: penny drives, class events, video challenges, class games, etc. This also encourages parent giving.
- Jumpstart Strategy #8: Kick-off the Alumni Class Challenge on November 1st as an online appeal to create a friendly competition for each class to give.
- Jumpstart Strategy #9: Empower your stakeholders to give online. All invitations and solicitations, paper or digital should encourage giving online with links to website page, QR codes, text-to-give option. etc.
- Jumpstart Strategy #10: Have fun with gift announcements and milestones. Host announcement gatherings with video, both at school and online to provide donor recognition and to sustain momentum.
As you can see, the strategy here is make the Annual Appeal fun, exciting and engaging, while addressing the needs of the school. So many people love your school and wish to advance your mission. With sound planning, solid goals, good leadership and a positive attitude, you can make the school Annual Appeal personal and fun, as you engage hundreds in the dynamic life of the school.
We Can Help
Here at Catholic Vitality 360, it is our ministry to serve your needs. Our mission is your vitality. All of the processes we share in our writings, videos and Zoomcast, THE CIRCLE are available to you. You are not alone in this work and we are happy to help. We consider you and your parish/school a vitality partner with us as we navigate building the Kingdom of God. Our proven approach will provide clarity, a working plan and a proven system that produces impressive results and engages more people in the life of the parish/school.
Engage others, share this dynamic vision, create a collaborative team and build ongoing vitality.
This will take time, patience, persistence, perseverance and PRAYER.
Do not fear, we walk in Faith and this is God’s work.
Be Good and Do Good.