What is a special appeal?
A special appeal is a targeted solicitation of philanthropic gifts to support an existing 5XÉçÇø Foundation fund. The appeal is not directly tied to one of Kent State’s main Annual Giving campaigns, but it needs to have a strong case for support and a specified target audience with whom the message will resonate.
How does the special appeals process work?
Your Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement (DPAE) project manager can help you decide which method is best for your project and fill out the Special Appeal Request Form. The communication method used to reach your target audience will depend on several factors, including the timing, budget, target audience and audience size for your special appeal.
Why is an established Foundation fund needed?
An established fund is necessary in order to complete the request because the creation of a new fund requires approval from the 5XÉçÇø Foundation as well as a minimum donation amount to open a fund, which takes additional time. We are unable to take the necessary steps in the special appeals process until the fund has been approved by the Foundation and has an official fund number into which donations can be deposited. For more information on fund creation, please visit /alumni-and-giving/policies-and-forms.
What is the general timeline for a special appeal?
Special appeals will vary in timeline for completion based on several factors, including but not limited to: time of year, mode of distribution (i.e. digital or direct mail), design and planning needs, development of new email or mailing lists (if required), etc. In general, a breakdown of the timelines (after approval) are as follows:
- Direct Mail Timeline: Content creation (2 weeks + approval time) + data gathering (2 weeks) + printing (2 weeks) + mailing (1-2 weeks) = 8 weeks on average
- Email Timeline: Content creation (1-2 weeks) + data gathering needs, if applicable (2 weeks) + approval time (1 week) = 3-4 weeks on average
- Crowdfunding: Content creation and approval time (2-3 weeks) + active fundraising period (3-4 weeks) = 5-6 weeks
How do I determine the audience for a special appeal?
Your division, college, regional campus or unit should have or be in the process of developing a strategic population group (SPG) and/or a regular email recipient list for communications to alumni and donors through DPAE. This is a great start for developing your audience for your special appeal proposal. If you do not have one of these groups developed, talk to your DPAE project manager about your audience and list needs.
What sort of ROI should I expect for a special appeal?
Below are equations that estimate the ROI that can be expected for various methods of special appeal communications.
- Direct Mail: (Audience size) x 2% (this is the best-case scenario conversion rate) x $110 (KSU average gift size) = Appeal Goal
- Email: (Audience size) x 0.06% (this is the best-case scenario conversion rate) x $110 (KSU average gift size) = Appeal Goal
- Engagement Center: (Audience size) x 2.3% (this is the average cold-call conversion rate) x $110 (KSU average gift size) = Appeal Goal
- Special Appeals: Appeal Goal – Time – Expenses (printing, mailing, design, etc.) = Net Success
What if my project does not raise enough funds to reach the goal?
If the project does not reach its goal, the funds are still deposited into the Kent State Foundation fund indicated for the project. If not reaching the goal will inhibit the project in any way, make sure to communicate with potential donors throughout the campaign about the money raised will be used if the goal is not reached.
What is a case for support, and how do I write one?
A case for support is an appeal to audiences to contribute to the campaign. Successful cases for support often do the following: demonstrate past and present impact of the fund, tell stories that make the audience feel personally and emotionally connected to the fund and its recipients, explain how the funds raised will be used, convey urgency and leverage or build relationships and connections.
What is a crowdfunding project, and how do I create one?
Crowdfunding empowers members of the Kent State community to come together and inspire others to make a difference. In these projects, teams use an online platform to fundraise for a specific Kent State cause that is important to them. You can request a crowdfunding project by contacting your DPAE project manager.
Do crowdfunding projects cost money?
The 5XÉçÇø Foundation covers the platform fees so that 100% of the donors’ money goes to the project’s Kent State Foundation fund. Unlike other crowdfunding platforms, there are no fees, and all funds collected will go toward the fund selected, regardless of whether the goal is reached.