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Development and Communications. History. Late 90’s and early 2000’s: OLAF and board recommendation to do private fundraising 2001: consultant (Susan Golden) retained to engage volunteers in fundraising and develop fundraising campaign
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History • Late 90’s and early 2000’s: OLAF and board recommendation to do private fundraising • 2001: consultant (Susan Golden) retained to engage volunteers in fundraising and develop fundraising campaign • 2002: consultant (Dennis Dorgan) retained to perform feasibility study for a private bar campaign • 2003: campaign chairs and cabinet created – obvious that staff support was necessary; job posted for development director • 2004: development director hired
Development & Communications Department • Purpose: Project a simple and consistent message for The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland that is directed at clients, community members, law firms, attorneys and sources of unrestricted funds. • Activities: • Development…. • fundraise • recruitment of donors and volunteers • Communications… • communicate Legal Aid’s message and brand • advocacy and education to influence community opinion
Development • Individuals • Foundations • Law Firms/Corporations • Other Special Projects (government grants, partnerships, cy pres, one-time major gifts)
Development Results… • Individuals • Prior to 2004: 50-100 gifts representing $15K- $20Kannually • 2010: 815 gifts representing $160,000 • Future: maintain growth of individual donor base so annual giving is consistently 15-20% of overall active database (currently at 10%); increase focus on major gift solicitation (beginning with $1000+ donors) • Additionally – endowment and planned giving! • Foundations • Prior to 2004: very little activity • 2010: 62 gifts totaling $503,000 • Future: once IOLTA increases and stabilizes, more focus on foundation grants to expand services and for impact work
Development Results… • Law Firms/Corporations • Prior to 2004: very little activity • 2010: 78 gifts totaling $140,000 • Future: focus on corporate giving more than law firms; cultivate law firms via combined individual gift/law firm campaign • Additionally… endowment and planned giving • Other Special Projects (government grants, partnerships)
Communications • Clients • General Community / Public Relations • Media Relations • Government Relations
Communications Results… • Clients • Prior to 2004: good-quality brochures produced in limited quantity; distribution and coordination of message was not consistent between offices/practice groups; design done internally with desktop publishing programs • 2010: public presentations, brochures created with professional designers (translated into Spanish), new website • Future: maintain consistency and increase number of publications so all practice areas are represented • General Community / Public Relations • Prior to 2004: minimal attendance at bar association and other community events; Legal Aid attorneys were not encouraged to be “out and about” • 2010: budget created for community tickets (lunches, meetings); attorneys attend one/event annually; Legal Aid “brand” evident • Future: simply continue
Communications Results… • Media Relations • Prior to 2004: average of 4-8 media mentions annually • 2010: more than 140 media mentions in a variety of medium • Future: continue, but work closely with new Advocacy Committee on targeted media campaigns • Government Relations • Began in 2010: project to educate legislators (state and federal) about Legal Aid • Future: continue and expand
Ideas for OLAF Support & Statewide Collaboration • Statewide “philanthropy audit” or “fundraising/communications analysis” to give programs meaningful feedback on fundraising and communications work • Collaboration on proposals to national foundations for creative/innovative legal services work (with help of grant writer – so not one program is burdened) • Better coordination of statewide messages regarding legal services (ie, “Save the Dream” program not the example) • “Statehouse Day” and “Capitol Hill Day” for Ohio legal services • Someday: consultant support or wealth research for potential statewide operating/endowment campaign • Perhaps: Statewide workgroup focused on fundraising/communications