Mary Baldwin University ended the fiscal year exceeding its $1.65 million goal for the 2013 Baldwin Fund, the institution’s annual fundraising effort and part of its larger fundraising initiative, Ever Ahead: The Campaign for Mary Baldwin University. The Mary Baldwin Office of Institutional Advancement (IA) raised nearly $1.7 million through June 30 employing a variety of efforts, including a one-to-one matching challenge, a social media campaign, and a unique end-of-year video.
“We’re thrilled to start fiscal year 2014 on a positive note,” said Tamara Ridenour, interim director of operations for IA. “Over the past year we pulled together as a team and combined traditional fundraising tools with a few new tactics. The result has been terrific and we’re looking forward to carrying that momentum into the new year and throughout the larger effort for Ever Ahead. We send our sincerest appreciation to the many donors who made this success possible.”
Donors to the Baldwin Fund provide gifts that help retain outstanding faculty and advisors, support maintenance of Mary Baldwin’s historic campus and regional centers, award academic scholarships, and enrich student life.
Two members of the Board of Trustees initiated and provided the initial capital for the Ham & Jam Challenge, a one-to-one matching challenge to inspire giving among non-donors and lapsed donors. Phonathon callers leveraged the challenge to encourage giving and IA staff targeted key constituents through letters and postcards promoting the effort.
For the first time in Mary Baldwin history, the college used social media to play a direct role in fundraising. During the six-week effort, staff posted inspiring and educational messages about the Baldwin Fund on Facebook and Twitter, garnering donations and new fans along the way.
With creative assistance from members of the college’s Communication, Marketing, and Public Relations team, IA staff distributed throughout social media channels and via email a heartfelt video message in the weeks leading up to the close of the annual campaign. The video thanked donors for their generosity and reminded potential donors of the ways in which the annual fund enriches the lives of students.