Comprehensive/Capital Campaigns

Policy Statement

Capital campaigns are defined as organized efforts to solicit gifts and grants for any identified University priority for specific period time that transverses specific phases and secure donations from multiple private sources such as individuals, firms, corporations, groups, and/or foundations.

Reason for Policy

The Office of the Vice President of University Advancement at Adelphi University solicits, receives and stewards gifts to the University to provide resources that further the educational, research and public service mission of the University. This policy sets forth the structure and process for comprehensive and/or capital campaigns.

Who Is Governed by this Policy

Staff

Policy

All Comprehensive/Capital Campaigns will have well defined priorities that provide donors with specific naming opportunities. All campaigns must be approved by the established campaign steering committee and Adelphi University’s Board of Trustees. Over the course of the campaign, the priorities and associated naming opportunities may evolve from those originally established.

A comprehensive/capital campaign is an organized effort, which is structured to solicit funds for a designated objective(s), such as scholarship, personnel, construction, programmatic, equipment, or endowment with an identified dollar goal and specific timeline. It is a project involving an increased budget, potentially many more donors and frequently uses volunteers to accomplish the objective(s). It may be a single-purpose or comprehensive campaign.

There are four main phases of a campaign:

1. Planning: a period of planning in which the feasibility of a fundraising effort is determined by preliminary discussion and analytics, fact finding, and donor interest testing.
2. Quite: a period of preparation for the campaign in which the enterprise that is the campaign is planned and established; literature specific to the campaign is prepared; the field of prospective donors is defined, measured, and cultivated; and lead principal gifts are secured.
3. Public: a period when goals are announced, well-publicized solicitations are pursued and expanded to include gifts of $25,000+, and significant increases in engagement and participation are sought.
4. Post: a period initiated one year before campaign end that includes heightened stewardship and celebration planning for the successful conclusion of the campaign as well as analytics of what worked well and what did not, and planning for the next campaign begins.

A campaign is not to be confused with established annual giving or other special purpose appeals.

I. Approval Procedures

1. The Office of the Vice President of University Advancement secures approval from established campaign committee and the Board of Trustees of Adelphi University before any campaign in the name of Adelphi University is undertaken.
2. As part of the approval process, the personnel to staff the campaign, its budget, case statement and other publications, timetable and procedures to be followed will be established. Implementation, oversight and reporting for the campaign will be the responsibility of the Office of the Vice President of University Advancement.

II. Feasibility Studies

Campaigns with objectives of $25,000,000 or more will not be undertaken until after a feasibility study has shown the objective to be feasible. The selection of an outside professional firm, definition of its responsibilities, and conduct of the study shall be done with the advice and approval of the Board of Trustees.

III. Campaign Planning Committee

An Office of the Vice President of University Advancement representative shall serve as a member of each campaign planning committee. The personnel involved with a campaign planning committee, its budget, timetable and procedures must be developed by the Office of the Vice President of University Advancement.

Definitions

This policy does not have definitions associated with it at this time. Upon periodic policy review this area will be evaluated to determine if additional information is needed to supplement the policy.

Forms

This policy does not have forms associated with it at this time. Upon periodic policy review this area will be evaluated to determine if additional information is needed to supplement the policy.

Related Information

This policy does not have related information at this time. Upon periodic policy review this area will be evaluated to determine if additional information is needed to supplement the policy.

Document History

• Last Reviewed Date: December 29, 2017
• Last Revised Date: December 29, 2017
• Policy Origination Date: Unknown

Who Approved This Policy

Brady Crook, Vice President, University Advancement