2023-2024 Annual Giving Committee Handbook
Annual Fund Chairs Angela & James Ho P ’28, ’31 Vice Chairs Parent Giving Beth & Tony Miranda P ’27 Senior Fund Chairs Nancy & Tim Armstrong P ’22, ’24 Chair of Alumnae Giving Marianne Cholnoky Kay ’75 Vice Chair Alumnae Leadership Giving Karen Stauffer Murphy ’78
greenwichacademy.org/annualfund Kick Off Page greenwichacademy.org/afko
@gwichacademy
Annual Fund Timeline SEPTEMBER 5
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
SEPTEMBER 21
NEW PARENT PARTY & ANNUAL DINNER
OCTOBER 20
ANNUAL FUND LETTER & APPEAL MAILED
OCTOBER 23
ANNUAL FUND KICK OFF TRAINING
OCTOBER 24
E-APPEAL
OCTOBER 25
ANNUAL FUND KICK OFF (AFKO)
DECEMBER 5
END OF YEAR GIVING APPEAL & E-APPEAL
DECEMBER 11-13
END OF YEAR GIVING REMINDER
FEBRUARY 6
WINTER APPEAL MAILED
FEBRUARY 13-14
WINTER APPEAL & E-APPEAL
APRIL 2
SPRING APPEAL & E-APPEAL
APRIL 26
CHARTER DAY & ALUMNAE REUNION
MAY 23
COMMENCEMENT
MAY 29
SAVE THE DATE! ANNUAL GIVING APPRECIATION @ 6:30 PM
JUNE 15
GIFTS & PLEDGES GREATLY APPRECIATED
JUNE 30
ANNUAL FUND CLOSES: ALL GIFTS & PLEDGES DUE BY MIDNIGHT
2022-2023
$3,575,100
98 percent
34 percent
2021-2022
$3,507,914
98 percent
37 percent
Range of parent gifts for the 2022-2023 Annual Fund:
$75,000
1 3 11 24 39 69 112
$155,000 $288,496 $402,485 $401,124 $449,449 $409,528
822 676 2023-2024 Operating Budget: $54.8 million 2022-2023 Operating Budget: $52.5 million
GA's Budget and the GAP Facts from last year's 2022-23 Annual Fund Overall participation 98 percent 36 percent of parent gifts were equal to their 2021-2022 gift, while 41 percent increased their gift amount. In 2021-2022, a total of 76 percent of families gave the same amount or more than the prior year. Projected for this year's 2023-2024 Annual Fund: Tuition alone covers approximately 76 percent of what it costs to educate each girl. The gap between tuition and the actual cost of education a GA student is $15,582 per student, which is covered by the Annual Fund, investment, and other income. The Annual Fund provides 7 percent of the budget or approximately $4,410 per student. Annual Fund dollars include gifts from Current Parents, Alumnae, parents of Alumnae, Current and Past Grandparents, Faculty, Staff, and Friends. Investment income provides 9 percent of the budget while other income from facility rentals, special program fees, school store and Cowan Center provides approximately 8 percent.
Class of 2023 Fund for the Community Spaces Class of 2022 Fund for the Dining Commons
Aggregate Annual and Senior Funds
2022-2023 2021-2022
$4,199,486 $4,528,018
-6% -1%
$624,386 $1,020,104
$4,410
34
98 66.9
10
GA could not operate without the assistance of current parents, alumnae, parents of alumnae, grandparents, faculty, and friends. Tuition revenue represents 76% of the school’s annual funding. The remaining 24% must come from other philanthropic sources. The GA endowment plays a significant role. In the 2022-2023 year, the endowment supplied $4.335 million towards the operating budget. The GA Annual Fund makes up the remaining 7-9% of our operating budget.
$67,000
$4,410
Volunteer Guide Volunteer tool kit Phone: Calls to a home number are rarely answered and voicemail often goes unheard. Who’s cell phone should you try first? Should you leave a voicemail? For a successful call, pick a number and let the person on the other end know that you are reaching out to both parents for participation in the Annual Fund. E-mail: E-mail is a great way to engage both parents at once (when applicable), share useful links, and schedule a time to talk. Copy all emails and address both parents. Text: We have partnered with Hustle, a texting platform allowing us to upload assigned families with pre-filled and customizable messages. Quick, easy, and usually instant gratification. Use it to initiate a conversation or follow-up to a voicemail. Useful resources: GA website: greenwichacademy.org Annual Fund: greenwichacademy.org/annualfund Parent Partnership: greenwichacademy.org/parentpartnership Kick Off: greenwichacademy.org/afko Volunteer: greenwichacademy.org/giving/annual-giving/annualfund/volunteers (passcode Annualfund) Flowpage: flowcode.com/page/greenwichacademy
Volunteer Guide What happens next? Review your materials. You will receive a list of families to whom you have been assigned, and a bit of giving history if they have been at GA for at least a year. Review and call Carolyn if you have any questions or concerns. Explore the various tools at your fingertips. Prepare for the Annual Fund Kick Off on October 25! We will officially launch the 2023-2024 Annual Fund. A successful Kick Off builds energy around the generosity of our community that carries forward throughout the year. In 2022-2023 our Kick Off brought in 380 gifts totaling $600,000. As you reach out to your families, share your story and what inspires you to generously support GA. Please answer any questions they may have, listen to their comments and concerns, and then encourage them to make a gift or pledge to you, online, by mail, via Venmo, or by calling the Annual Fund office at (203) 625-8933. Emphasize that once we have a commitment, they'll just get a reminder from the office on whatever schedule they set and a thank you. Keep in touch with Carolyn. Please pass on summaries of any conversations you have, questions that come up, issues discussed, and any follow-up from the office that is needed. We track all contacts, so it is a huge help if we know when you talked to people, even if no commitment was made. Consider your own support of the Annual Fund. It is always easier to ask for a gift knowing that you have already pledged your own support and are dedicated to the cause. Angela, James, Beth, or Tony will be in touch soon to discuss your own commitment.
Volunteer Guide Remember to emphasize... Pledges. Again, we are encouraging people to pledge. If a family tells you they give every spring, ask if they would like to make a pledge now. Now online, donors can enter a pledge amount and apply an automatic payment schedule. The great thing about fall gifts and pledges is that they: Take the burden of repeated phone calls off of the solicitors Are a green option as they save on the paper and energy used to mail additional appeals Save money on mailings Allow the school to plan, because this money really does go into this year's budget Recurring gifts. Set it and forget it! Enter a monthly amount to be applied to a credit card and gifts will automatically be deducted on the 15th of each month for as long as the donor chooses. Matching gifts. A matching gift tool is available at greenwichacademy.org/matching-gifts, donors can enter a company name to find out if it will match a gift to GA; then they are walked through the steps needed to effectuate the match. It is important that everyone is reminded of this important step, which can up to double a donor's gift. A match counts 100 percent in the GA family's giving and can boost them to a higher giving category. For example, a family who normally gives $3,000 and qualifies for a 1:1 match at their company will be acknowledged for a $6,000 gift to the Annual Fund. Commitment We hope you will consider making your own gift or pledge before speaking to your assigned families. Thank you!
Volunteer Guide Successful engagement Before your outreach Review the family's giving history and determine the best mode of initial outreach: phone, text, or email. Think about why you support GA. This will make it easier for you to explain the reasons for annual giving to someone else. Familiarize yourself with the confidential prospect information forms and particularly the names of children. Note: We also have included names of siblings in other independent schools, ask amount, and previous giving record. During your outreach Once you begin your outreach, make sure you are able to immediately respond to return calls, emails, and texts so we can keep the momentum. Adjust to the record of your prospect. If they are a consistent giver, they may only need a reminder. If it is someone who typically gives in the spring, acknowledge that and let them know that you are just making the call for the school early and perhaps they would like to pledge their spring commitment now. If they are a new parent, they may need to have some questions answered. Explain that participation at every level is critical. Last year our overall parent participation was 98 percent, we are aiming to exceed last year's participation. If it makes sense for the family, encourage a pledge-now, pay-later arrangement. We're hoping many people will take advantage of the option to provide their credit card info, we can also accept recurring gifts so a family can pay their gift over time through monthly payments. All pledges, however, must be paid in full by June 30.
Volunteer Guide Gifts to the Annual Fund may be made by check, credit card, or Venmo @Gwichacademy. Gifts of stock and bank wire also are encouraged. Stock transfer and bank wire instructions are available online. Gifts and pledges can be submitted online at www.greenwichacademy.org/pledge. Remember to ask if there is a matching gift possibility. Be prepared to listen. Should you contact a donor who has an issue that should be addressed by the school, please encourage the donor to speak with the appropriate advisor, class dean or division head, and let Carolyn know so she can be sure that the appropriate people at GA also follow up. No answer, child or babysitter answer: Leave a brief message: I am calling on behalf of the GA Annual Fund and will try back another time. Closing your outreach Without undue pressure, make the "ask." Did they receive the mailing? Can they consider giving at the amount in the mailing? Encourage the donor to consider increasing the size of their gift over last year's. Be sure to explain the parameters of the giving levels, and urge parents to consider increasing their gift to a giving club level. 41 percent of parents who were asked for an increased gift last year made one. Try to get the donor to commit to a specific amount. A stated pledge keeps you from having to follow up. If they would like to “think it over,” let them know Carolyn will follow up. However you choose to engage, it is important to allow them to process the information, ask questions, and share their feelings and giving plan. Some folks are happy giving a concrete number while others may just let you know they are “in.” Both count for Annual Fund participation.
Volunteer Guide Hopefully, by the end of the call you can say thank you for your support! Regardless of the outcome, always thank them for their time and ask if they need the office to follow up. If they agree to support the Annual Fund, but without specifics, ask if they would like the office to send a pledge card and reply envelope. After your outreach Please let Carolyn know of the outcome, even if indeterminate. Phone: 203.625.8933 E-mail: crussell@greenwichacademy.org Text: 203.962.5939 As gifts come in you will receive updates from Carolyn, a personal note or e-mail to say thank you is a wonderful finishing touch!
Notes