Cultivating Donors Through Visual Storytelling for Fundraising Goals at CommAgency

Cultivating Donors through Visual Storytelling Cultivating Donors through Visual Storytelling

Fundraising for CommAgency Fundraising for CommAgency Goals for CommAgency Who to approach and how Video s role in development Best practices for video in development Timeline for fundraising Overall plan Video creation Questions and comments

What is CommAgency? What is CommAgency? Real-world, professional learning experience for Bellisario students PSU clients hire CommAgency for media production and strategy solutions Divisions = video, photography, live streaming and social media/analytics 45 paid student employees, managed by 4 faculty members and overseen by a faculty director (Catie Grant)

Fundraising Goals Fundraising Goals CommAgency has $20,000 annual operating budget Director s goal = CommAgency to be self-supporting without annual budget Income from clients ideally support student wages Additional operating expenses (equipment purchase/repair, uniforms, award submissions, transportation, etc) not supported by client income Endowment Campaign Current University match for economic development (CommAgency qualifies) Pair career Ad agency and media production donors with CommAgency Engage donors in endowment campaign (as donors & promoters)

Who to approach Who to approach Many advisory boards within Bellisario with donors already serving Ad/PR Advisory Board Advancement Council Advertising Alumni Network Board Bellisario Alumni Society Marc Brownstein Advancement Council: $250,000 endowment gift to CommAgency in Summer 2019 Include Marc in endowment campaign process utilize his network connections to create more awareness and gifts from board members

How best to approach How best to approach Brownstein connections (if willing) Take advantage of bi-annual board and council meetings Groups come to campus every fall and spring Have Director (Catie Grant) and a few students present to groups Allows for larger groups to get to know CommAgency Identify board members who are likely to give a larger, endowment-level gift Coordinate special, small group meetings with individuals and CommAgency members Q&As with alums and students, lunches, production set visits? Make personal connection alums get to know those they d be helping

Follow up with Campaign Ask Follow up with Campaign Ask After learning and interacting with CommAgency students, important to follow up quickly with endowment campaign info and ask Traditional asks presented in written form We are a Communications college CommAgency creates digital media Why not incorporate video with our written ask?

Do we need video in ask? Do we need video in ask? The short answer? Yes. The short answer? Yes. It s about creating a multi-channel development approach that includes written word and digital video (Joyaux, 2016) We know that people learn better through stories than facts and statistics. (Joyaux, 2014) Make the case compelling, urgent, and personal (Ostomel, 2018) The simpler you can make it for your donor to think about arriving at a yes/no decision, the better. (Axelrad, 2018)

Best practices for video Before video can be created, silos need to be removed between marketing/communications and development. (The Non-Profit Times, 2015) It is all about STORYTELLING Make it personal use video to show donors the students stories and why they love CommAgency We can show show them with visual storytelling instead of telling telling them

Best practices for video People want to meet the men and women who are the pillars of your success (Fox, 2015) Use CommAgency students with compelling background, needs, and goals for their involvement. Find students who donors can relate to? Similar backgrounds or goals? Video should supplement written ask with people and their personal stories, not reiterate what s already in ask Keep it short. 3-5 minutes long enough to tell stories, short enough to keep viewers engaged

Timeline Timeline overall plan overall plan January 2020 create schedules for potential donors during February board/committee meetings & begin video production CommAgency presentations to groups Smaller potential major gift donor meetings/lunches with students February 2020 meetings and presentations March 2020 engage donors with endowment campaign promotion & involvement. Video completed. Brownstein and others who have potential to give April 2020 (Blue/White Weekend) launch campaign asks with video

Timeline Timeline video creation video creation CommAgency students create video by students for students January 2020 Pre-production Students determine 3 students to feature with interviews and footage Determine additional filming required February 2020 Production (all filming completed) Students film interviews and additional footage March 2020 Post-production Students review rough and fine cut version with development and marketing Final Delivery March 30th

Questions or Questions or Comments? Comments?

References References Axelrad, C. (2018, October 2). Scope: The key to donor generosity? Clarififcation.com. Retrieved from https://clairification.com/2018/10/02/scope-key-donor-generosity/#comment-62508 Fox, J. (2015, March 25). 10 mistakes nonprofits make with video. Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved from https://nonprofitquarterly.org/10-mistakes-nonprofits-make-with-video/ Joyaux, S. (2014, March 21). Storytelling: For fundraising and life, too. Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved from https://nonprofitquarterly.org/storytelling-for-fundraising-and-life-too/ Joyaux, S. (2016, December 2). Channeling real human beings in multichannel fundraising. Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved from https://nonprofitquarterly.org/multichannel-campaigns/ Ostomel, D. (2018, May 24). Advanced crowdfunding strategies . Firespring.org. [Presentation]. Retrieved from https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/viewRecording/5576258271923182850/5508365629629979 139/swp2@psu.edu?registrantKey=7188810822857716237&type=ABSENTEEEMAILRECORDINGLINK The Non-Profit Times. (2015, April 14). Get ready for more videos, images. Retrieved from https://www.thenonprofittimes.com/npt_management_tips/get-ready-for-more-videos-images/