# Best use of major donor fundraising

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/23/best-use-major-donor-fundraising-2/
- Published: 2013-05-23T12:20:51+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

For the campaign or initiative that demonstrates the best use of individual major
donor fundraising.

The shortlisted entries are, in alphabetical order:

 *  Aston University
 *  Scope

## Aston University

## Advertisement

Aston University’s Woodcock United campaign was launched to raise £1.5m to renovate
the University’s Woodcock Sports Centre. It aimed to use different forms of fundraising
to achieve this, including securing naming gift from sporting and major donor prospects,
using the influence of Aston’s development board, accessing grants from trusts and
foundations and engaging new and existing alumni donors and implementing an innovative
stewardship campaign.

Systematic prospect research was undertaken to support face-to-face solicitation
of alumni and external Friends. Half the target was achieved in the quiet phase 
of the campaign and the first naming opportunity for the University was instigated
with the Centre being renamed the Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre.

The campaign was groundbreaking for Aston, using tried and tested techniques to 
secure major gifts, and involved stakeholders across the University and throughout
the community coming together to secure the future of the Centre.

## Scope

Scope wants to add 100 charity shops over five years, with a target of £3m unrestricted
income from year 5, which would in turn lead to less reliance on local authority
funding and donations for specific, individual projects and services.

The charity targeted ‘model’ towns where existing shops are most profitable and 
compiled a risk-weighted model of income. This in turn would attract major donors
with a project that had a model of sustainability, a sound business proposition 
and a strong social impact. Donors could choose to fund a new shop at £50,000 or
a refurbishment at £21,000. Smaller donations were pooled to open a shop when £50,000
was reached. To date the project has secured £200,000 (target £100,000) in donations
and £2.35m (target £1.5m) in low-interest loans.

Major donors, new and existing, were offered projects that appealed to their desire
to fund high leverage activities. Several major donors had contributed to the thinking
behind the project. Senior teams from retail and fundraising departments worked 
together to secure support, giving a real sense of joined-up thinking across the
charity. The project is ongoing, and has already raised enough capital to fund shop
expansion plans over the next three years.

 * **[Fundraising team of the year](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/23/fundraising-team-year/)**(
   23 May 2013)
 * **[Charity Commission website](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/23/charity-commission-website-2/)**(
   23 May 2013)
 * **[Best donor development campaign](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/24/best-donor-development-campaign-2/)**(
   24 May 2013)