Why Don't We Have Donors?

[shandeezy7]

I get contacted by LeMoyne in some form or fashion about once a month seeking donations. Usually a phone call or a mailer or an email. Anybody familiar with LeMoyne knows how many millions they've raised in capital improvements from athletic facilities to new buildings and programs.

The amount of money they've raised and spent is shocking imo considering their size. I want to say its pushing 100 million dollars. Aside from a few big gifts i think the donations are largely from pounding the pavement.

http://www.lemoynedolphins.com/information/TurfComplex/Landing

That's true, however, large gifts for athletics at Le Moyne have been hard to come by as well. You're right about pounding the pavement and getting those $100 to $5,000 donors on board though. It goes a long way in the long run, but having a couple of big time lead donors is what SU really needs, and it seems like at this point, they haven't been able to find those donors.

 

[chakka3421]

Pathetic.

About 25 years ago, the church I belonged to burned down during the winter. We were a medium sized church - the elders went into high gear getting a huge campaign for donors to donate in and outside of the congregation. More money than I though possible was raised to rebuild by the spring (insurance only covered about half). It all had to do with fundraising "leadership", specific "goals" and detailed "accounting" to get it done. It wasn't just words of that we support the church, it was elder leadership and action from the congregation in the form of donations that got it done.

 

[llandz]

Bees, be my guest. I'll be waiting to read the news story!

 

[orangeinohio]

So who's going to tell Gedney that we're taking over his office?

 

[Don]

well take a look at Syracuse when say the dome was built and now.
gone-the manufacturing business that the dome is named after
gone-New venture gear
Gone-most of the local downtown stores
gone- many 25-45 year old olds who take there education and earning power go to those southern cities that are spending money on athletics.

You build a community by building a community. very frankly what we have left in Syracuse are national chains that have different agendas than building a community. there was a post about the team having a older fanbase and I think most said yes, frankly older people have set limits on buying stuff. you need movers and shakers to spend money and make money.

Plain and simple Syracuse has lost a lot of cashe in the last 30 years. Look as many people who want too support the team there are twice as many who see SU as tax welchers who drive up there property taxes because they are exempt. Local grown businesses who become successful spend money in there community and very frankly we don't have enough of them.

Getting more money from asking alumni and season ticket holders is nice but to have facilities like some of the ones you see you need big money especially if you are a private university. you also need middle aged people with income that can be spent on luxury and helps build the community.

Very frankly the town lacks local businesses and enough people with income that can be expended on other things besides basics.

There is what 2500 members here and even if everybody here could give 100 dollars it would not be a drop in the bucket to say Oregon or Texas boosters who live in areas with younger people and vibrant economies,

Major fundraising is not easy especially when you have been bad and have had chancellors in the not so distant past who told you to get a life and now a lame duck chancellor

 

[Jeepers]

The sad thing is, SU, like most other colleges, is probably paying some consultant (or consultants) thousands upon thousands of dollars to help develop fundraising strategies, and this is what we get. It's a damn shame.

Reminds me of painting your house. I've always thought that nobody is going to paint the inside of your house as well as you would, regardless of how skilled they are. You care about your home, so you take your time and paint meticulously.

 

[CIL]

well take a look at Syracuse when say the dome was built and now.
gone-the manufacturing business that the dome is named after
gone-New venture gear
Gone-most of the local downtown stores
gone- many 25-45 year old olds who take there education and earning power go to those southern cities that are spending money on athletics.

You build a community by building a community. very frankly what we have left in Syracuse are national chains that have different agendas than building a community. there was a post about the team having a older fanbase and I think most said yes, frankly older people have set limits on buying stuff. you need movers and shakers to spend money and make money.

Plain and simple Syracuse has lost a lot of cashe in the last 30 years. Look as many people who want too support the team there are twice as many who see SU as tax welchers who drive up there property taxes because they are exempt. Local grown businesses who become successful spend money in there community and very frankly we don't have enough of them.

Getting more money from asking alumni and season ticket holders is nice but to have facilities like some of the ones you see you need big money especially if you are a private university. you also need middle aged people with income that can be spent on luxury and helps build the community.

Very frankly the town lacks local businesses and enough people with income that can be expended on other things besides basics.

There is what 2500 members here and even if everybody here could give 100 dollars it would not be a drop in the bucket to say Oregon or Texas boosters who live in areas with younger people and vibrant economies,

Major fundraising is not easy especially when you have been bad and have had chancellors in the not so distant past who told you to get a life and now a lame duck chancellor

Manhattan, KS isn't exactly in Fairfield County. Ever been to Starksville?

 

[NineOneSeven]

I read an ESPN snippet a few days ago that Missouri had two, yes that's 2, donors pony up $38M for athletic facility improvements. Mizzou!

That's a far exception and not close to the norm.

 

[Don]

actually yes I have been to both, Manhattan KS is a great town and starksville reminds me of a southern version of Cortland, however neither compares with SU as they are both State universities supported by taxpayers and tuition and anything boosters want to contribute.

K state is surrounded by several nationally known Junior colleges they can draw recruits from and they lucked into a beloved coach.
Football is also King in Mississippi people are rabid unlike here makes it easier to convince people to give to football.

Im not saying we shouldn't be better Im saying there are factors that work against a private university in an area that is not football crazy and has not had the greatest economy to distribute wealth and also has a large portion of the community that think SU is a hinderance because of there tax status.

comparing us to anywhere without looking at all the local nuiances is counterproductive. a good marketing person im sure could find ways.

 

[bevosu]

I remember when we used to get coin from Coyne.

RIP

 

[Scooch]

Simple. No one asks. People aren't going to mail in money for the hell of it.

Here's an anecdote that reinforces that...

A few years back I went to a Jimmy V dinner in NYC. I had the chance to talk to both Jeff Hathaway, then AD at UConn, and our own Darryl Gross. Despite my addiction to online message boards, I'm a pretty social guy and can have a half-way decent conversation with just about anyone. I had two very nice 10+ minute conversations with Hathaway. When I met Gross he looked through me like I was the absolute last person he wanted to talk to. What floored me was that he had no idea who I was, other than an SU alum. I could have had a million dollar check in my back pocket for all he knew. But there were some "celebs" there I suspect he was much more interested in talking too.

Now, look, I actually think Gross has done an excellent job at SU and I do like the guy. So I'm not bashing him, really. But I think that encounter was revealing about how SU has done such a horrendous job at courting donors. And not just for athletics, SU's endowment is small for a private school of its size and academic stature.

I'm an alum, have a decent little career going, was a season ticket holder for 8 years, and never, ever, ever have been solicited for an athletics donation.

 

[Aweart23]

Here's an anecdote that reinforces that...

A few years back I went to a Jimmy V dinner in NYC. I had the chance to talk to both Jeff Hathaway, then AD at UConn, and our own Darryl Gross. Despite my addiction to online message boards, I'm a pretty social guy and can have a half-way decent conversation with just about anyone. I had two very nice 10+ minute conversations with Hathaway. When I met Gross he looked through me like I was the absolute last person he wanted to talk to. What floored me was that he had no idea who I was, other than an SU alum. I could have had a million dollar check in my back pocket for all he knew. But there were some "celebs" there I suspect he was much more interested in talking too.

Now, look, I actually think Gross has done an excellent job at SU and I do like the guy. So I'm not bashing him, really. But I think that encounter was revealing about how SU has done such a horrendous job at courting donors. And not just for athletics, SU's endowment is small for a private school of its size and academic stature.

I'm an alum, have a decent little career going, was a season ticket holder for 8 years, and never, ever, ever have been solicited for an athletics donation.

Can you donate $50 to me...I need new running shoes.

 

[Scooch]

Can you donate $50 to me...I need new running shoes.

Barefoot is good enough for the Kenyans.

 

[Doctor44]

Didn't SU have a project to raise $1 billion over ten years? I'm pretty sure they reached it, and doc gross made it seem like their might be some in there for athletics

 

[rrlbees]

Simple. No one asks. People aren't going to mail in money for the hell of it.

That is certainly a problem.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Moontan]

That is certainly a problem.

It would've been easy to include something in the football ticket package.
HCDM could've mentioned it in his comments that are included in that package.

All it takes is a decent web page with info about the facility, including the need to have it, along with an easy means to donate. The rest of the campaign simply needs to spark interest and direct people to that page. Some sort of progress indicator (including the goal, current donation level and number of donations) should be included on that page as well.

 

[CuseTroop]

Can you donate $50 to me...I need new running shoes.

I think I need shoes more.. It's 9pm and I just caught both dogs under my bed eating my work shoes. No place to buy new shoes in Fairbanks until like 10 tomorrow. Guess it's dress pants and logging boots tomorrow. God my wife needs to get back from NY lol