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The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

Brandeis University

HS 225a

Strategic Fundraising and Development

Spring 2016

Prof. David Whalen

Phone:(w) 617.226.2106

Email:

Office hours:Before and/or after class and by arrangement

University notices:

1. If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.

2. You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. The University policy on academic honesty is distributed annually as section 5 of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook. Instances of alleged dishonesty are subject to possible judicial action. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the University. If you have any questions about my expectations, please ask.

Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when assignments specifically authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use the words or ideas of another person – be it a world-class philosopher or your roommate – without proper acknowledgement of that source. This means that you must use footnotes and quotation marks to indicate the source of any phrases, sentences, paragraphs or ideas found in published volumes, on the internet, or created by another student. If you are in doubt about the instructions for any assignment in this course, you must ask for clarification.

This syllabus is subject to change. When in doubt, please ask me.

Course Overview: Strategic Fundraising and Development

This course will provide students with a basic grounding in key concepts of private fundraising and philanthropy. It will explore the role of philanthropy in the management of non-governmental organizations, specifically the relationships between philanthropy and ethics; management decision making and the role of a “gift economy”; the role of leaders and boards in fundraising as well as options for structuring an integrated development plan.

In addition to the theoretical framework for understanding how strategic philanthropic practices are incorporated with NGO management, this course will offer students practical hands on experience with foundation research, grants writing, and the creation of several key components of a comprehensive fundraising plan. Core competencies include: internet and library research skills, quantitative analysis focusing on cost-benefit ratios, persuasive writing skills, qualitative analysis of management cases, presentation and public speaking skills and the development and management of strategic planning initiatives.

Course Requirements

  1. Attendance at all sessions; prompt arrival.
  2. Preparation of all readings.
  3. Timely submission/presentation of assignments.
  4. Helpfulness to and respect for other students.
  5. Other including:
  • Class participation: As a community of learners, we learn best when we actively question what we have learned, challenge and support each other’s ideas, and help to draw connections between the material we are covering in class and our experiences in other courses and professional settings. Given this, active participation in class discussions, including evidence of having done the prescribed readings, will be expected. It is generally not possible to pass this course if you miss more than one class. If you are unable to attend class, or if you will be late, you are expected to email me before the missed class session.
  • Case analysis: Students will prepare a 3-page analysis for the ‘Amy Biehl Foundation Trust” case. Additional details about the case analysis assignment will be discussed during the first class session. This case analysis is due February 22, 2016.
  • Fundraising Portfolio: Students will be asked to choose an NGO that they will use to develop the following portfolio:
  • Foundation funding research report
  • Foundation letter proposal
  • Donor appeal letter

Each element of the fundraising portfolio should be 2-4 pages long, as appropriate. Assignment instructions are on LATTE and additional details will be provided in advance of each portfolio assignment.

  • Final Project: The final project will include both a 12-15 page final report and a 10-15 minute professional presentation to the class. Students will work in groups of two to four (depending on class size) and will choose a non-profit (it must be different from that used for the portfolio) and prepare one of the following:
  1. A private foundation proposal
  2. An annual fundraising plan
  3. A corporate sponsorship proposal
  4. A research paper on a relevant topic in philanthropy
  5. A fundraising-related project of the student’s choosing (w/instructor’s permission).

** Additional details about each final project type can be found on LATTE.

Your grade will be calculated as follows

The grade for the course will be determined by:

  • Class participation:25%
  • Case analysis:10%
  • Fundraising portfolio40%
  • Final project and presentation:25%

Policy for late papers or missed exams

Arrangements for make up papers must be made before the paper is due.

Readings:

The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook, 3rd Edition, Michael Norton, Published by Directory of Social Change, London, UK 2009

(Purchase directly from Amazon.com website)

What’s Love Got to Do with It? A Critical Look at American Charity, David Wagner, The New Press, NYC 2000 Chapter 4

"The September 11th Fund: The Creation" Harvard Business School Jane Wei-Skillern; March 26, 2002

“The Tzu Chi Foundation’s China Relief Mission” Harvard Business School

January 24, 2011, Harold Leonard and Yi Kwan Chu

“Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Development Strategy”, Harvard Business School June 2000 V. Kasturi Rangan and M. Bell ***

“Finding Your Funding Model”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2011

“Philanthropy’s New Agenda: Creating Value”, Harvard Business Review November 1, 1999 Michael Porter and Mark Kramer

“Peninsula Community Foundation”, Harvard Business School, December 2004, J. Austin, J. Wei-Skillern and A. Berkley Wagonfeld ***

“The Robin Hood Foundation”, Harvard Business School, January 5, 2012; A. Ebrahim and C. Ross***

“Cause Related Marketing: 3M as a Corporate Sponsor of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, 2011***

“An Inspired Model…or a Misguided One?” Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University July 2012

“Mirae: Charitable Giving in North Korea”, Stanford Business School,

Case SI-33, 2003

“The Hidden Costs of Cause Marketing” , Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer 2009; A. Eikenberry

“Maitri AIDS Hospice”, Stanford University, August 2001, J. Gregory Dees and Beth Anderson ***

"Pallotta TeamWorks" Harvard Business School, Allen Grossman and Liz Kind;

April 2, 2002 ***

Fundraising letters (4)

“Canadian Cancer Society: Fundraising Controversy”, Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, 2011

-When You’ve Made Enough to Make a Difference”, Harvard Business Review, January/February 2011; W. Foster and S. Wolf Ditkoff

“Who Brought Bernadine Healy Down?” Susan Sontag, The New York Times, December 23, 2001

“Acumen Fund and WaterHealth International: The Role of Venture Philanthropy”, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, April 2007***

“The Amy Biehl Foundation Trust” (South Africa) Graduate School of Business, Stanford University October 2000 ***

”One Acre Fund: Outgrowing The Board”, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2010***

“Google.org: For Profit Philanthropy”, Harvard Kennedy School, March 2012***

“Board Passages: Three Key Stages in a Non-Profit Board’s Life Cycle”,

Karl Mathaisen III , National Center for Non-Profit Boards 1999

On occasion, supplemental reading materials may be distributed by the instructor for discussion in a subsequent class. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to obtain these reading materials prior to the next scheduled class.

CLASS SESSIONS

January 20 (WEDNESDAY): Class 1

  • Introductions
  • Learning Objectives
  • Overview of course
  • Why do people give?
  • Development and Fundraising: An Overview
  • Writing case analyses
January 25: Class 2
  • Role of philanthropy in the not for profit sector and society
  • An introduction to an ethical framework for development and fundraising
  • Philanthropy in an International Context

Reading:

-Wagner, Chapter 4, pp. 88-115

-"The September 11th Fund: The Creation" Harvard Business School Jane Wei-Skillern; March 26, 2002

-““The Tzu Chi Foundation’s China Relief Mission” Harvard Business School January 24, 2011, Harold Leonard and Yi Kwan Chu

February 1: Class 3

  • The Development Plan
  • Development and organizational strategic planning
  • Introduction to fundraising research

Reading:-The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook, pp. 30-44

- Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Development Strategy”, Harvard Business School June 2000 V. Kasturi Rangan and M. Bell

-“Finding Your Funding Model”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2011

February 8: Class 4

  • Foundations: Private, Corporate and Community
  • Private sector proposal writing
  • Public sector proposal writing

Reading:-The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook; pp. 77-90

-“Philanthropy’s New Agenda: Creating Value”, Harvard Business Review November 1, 1999, Michael Porter and Mark Kramer

-“Peninsula Community Foundation”, Harvard Business School, December 2004, J. Austin, J. Wei-Skillern and A. Berkley Wagonfeld

Written Assignment: Turn in the name of the not for profit organization

chosen for the fundraising portfolio

February 22: Class 5

  • The mechanics of proposal writing
  • Cross cultural issues and Philanthropy
  • Final Project overview and planning

Reading: - The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook, pp. 259-269

-“An Inspired Model…or a Misguided One?” Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University July 2012

-“The Amy Biehl Foundation Trust” (South Africa) Graduate School of Business, Stanford University October 2000 ***

Written Assignments: Case analysis due

February 29: Class 6

  • Proposal writing (con’t)
  • Corporate philanthropy
  • Cause-related marketing

Reading: - The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook, pp.90-112

-“Cause Related Marketing: 3M as a Corporate Sponsor of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, 2011

-“The Hidden Costs of Cause Marketing”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer 2009; A. Eikenberry

Written Assignments: Fundraising Portfolio: Funding research assignment

March 7: Class 7

  • Government Funding
  • Events Fundraising
  • Social Media and Fundraising
  • Mid-course evaluation

Reading:-The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook, pp.55-77;

pp.144-164

-“Maitri AIDS Hospice”, Stanford University, August 2001

J. Gregory Dees and Beth Anderson

-"Pallotta TeamWorks", Harvard Business School, April 2002

Written Assignments: Final project team and topic submitted

March 14: Class 8

  • Branding and NGOs
  • Direct Marketing/Direct Mail

Reading:-The Worldwide Fundraiser’s Handbook; pp. 164-183, pp.251-259

-“Mirae: Charitable Giving in North Korea”, Stanford Business School, Case SI-33, 2003

-Fundraising letters (3)

Written Assignments: Fundraising Portfolio: Letter proposal

March 21: Class 9

  • Major Gifts fundraising and “The Ask”
  • Managing fundraising crises

Readings:-When You’ve Made Enough to Make a Difference”, Harvard Business Review, January/February 2011; W. Foster and S. Wolf Ditkoff

-“Who Brought Bernadine Healy Down?” (The Red Cross’ response to September 11) Susan Sontag,The New York Times, December 23, 2001

-“Canadian Cancer Society: Fundraising Controversy”, Ivey School of Business,The University of Western Ontario, 2011

April 4: Class 10

  • Venture Philanthropy and Social Enterprise
  • Measuring Impact

Readings-“Acumen Fund and WaterHealth International: The Role of Venture Philanthropy”, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, April 2007

-“The Robin Hood Foundation”, Harvard Business School, January 5, 2012; A. Ebrahim and C. Ross

Written Assignments: Fundraising Portfolio: Donor Appeal letter

April 11: Class 11

  • Board Governance and Fundraising
  • Emerging Philanthropic Models

Reading-“Board Passages: Three Key Stages in a Non-Profit Board’s Life Cycle”, Karl Mathaisen III 1999

-”One Acre Fund: Outgrowing The Board”, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2010

-“Google.org: For Profit Philanthropy”, Harvard Kennedy School, March 2012

April 18: Class 12

  • Selected fundraising topics (as possible)
  • FINAL PRESENTATIONS

Reading: To be announced

Written Assignments: Final Projects (all written projects due tonight regardless of when your presentation is scheduled)

May 2: Class 13

  • FINAL PRESENTATIONS

May 9: Final Exam/Class Make-up

(If needed)

10/3/2018 final