PROGRAM GOALS AND STRATEGIES

Research

Goal

Maintain position as a premier resource for research about the U.S. nonprofit sector and increase research about international philanthropy

Strategies

• Conduct research on philanthropy and nonprofit management issues that enhances the awareness of the Center and increases the overall study and practice of philanthropy building on strengths of the Centers’ resources and the Philanthropic Studies Faculty.
• Raise awareness of COPPS as the premier source of data on giving and volunteering in the U.S. by utilizing the data to showcase its features (e.g. volunteering, panel/time-series data, etc.).
• Increase usefulness and quality of Center materials already developed.
• Work with the Research Committee to identify research topics that can help the Center maintain a leadership role and that can help guide decisions about funding and projects.
• Enhance public access and understanding of Center research through easy to access information and in a format that is easy for practitioners and the public to understand.
• Work with Academic Programs to more effectively link Philanthropic Studies Faculty into the Center’s research process by inviting at least one faculty member to serve on advisory committees formed or continued from 2009 through 2013 for major national research projects, whether undertaken on contract or as Center-funded research.
• Explore ways to strengthen networks with researchers from other institutions and thought leaders in the field in the U.S. and internationally to identify important research questions and potential resources.

Academic Programs

Goal

Expand the national and international leadership of the Center’s academic programs.

Strategies

• Provide comprehensive education on philanthropy and nonprofit organizations through undergraduate and graduate degree programs utilizing traditional, innovative, and distance-learning delivery options.
• Support a multidisciplinary faculty to provide interdisciplinary approaches to philanthropic and nonprofit education within a global context.
• Collaborate with others in universities, nonprofits, and sector infrastructure organizations and government to meet the needs and opportunities of a civil society.
• Review and revise all academic programs based on the findings from the external five-year review report.
• Develop a marketing strategy that will help build a diverse and competitive student base for academic programs.

Public Service and the Fund Raising School

Goal

Strengthen and expand The Fund Raising School’s (TFRS) reputation and capacity as the leading provider in delivering comprehensive fundraising training and increase the penetration into broader NPO/NGO field through other public service offerings in the U.S. and abroad.

Strategies

• Continuously evaluate and improve TFRS to exceed participant expectations.
• Engage new constituent markets in training locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Build an online community of course delivery.
• Expand use of technology to distribute course material and other information and explore other streams for revenue generation.
• Develop strategic partnership with Association of Fundraising Professionals for development of new diploma in fundraising.
• Continuously update curriculum and create new courses with research findings that inform fundraising practice.

Women's Philanthropy Institute (WPI)

Goal

To further the understanding of women’s philanthropy through research, education, and knowledge dissemination.

Strategies

• Integrate the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) into the Center’s work, with emphasis on developing a viable, sustainable and revenue-generating model for programs and contracts.
• Advance women’s philanthropy through original research by addressing significant and ground-breaking research questions.
• Translate research into increased understanding and improvement in practice to disseminate knowledge to leaders, decision makers, the public, and the media.
• Provide a continuum of research-based educational services to inform donors.
• Promote and market the WPI as the leading resource for women’s philanthropy trends, best practices, and information.

Third Millennium Philanthropy and Leadership Initiative

Goal

Encourage and build equity in leadership for the philanthropic sector.

Strategies

• Elevate the visibility and participation of individuals and organizations from communities of color.
• Integrate learning about leadership development-- particularly as it relates to communities of color - into the literature and practices of the larger field as well as locally.
• Create better understanding of leadership issues through research.
• Integrate knowledge and findings into all aspects and programs of the Center’s work.
• Support and equip the succeeding generations of philanthropic leaders.
• Engage alumni and certificate holders of color into all aspects of the Center.

Lake Institute on Faith & Giving

Goal

To establish the Lake Institute as a national and international program center for the exploration of the relationship between faith and giving among the world’s religions.

Strategies

• Develop cutting-edge research on questions about religion and philanthropy, faith, and giving.
• Establish the topic of faith and giving as central in the Academy.
• Equip religious communities and their leaders as well as individuals of wealth with the opportunities and resources to explore the topic of faith, money, and giving in all its robust diversity.
• Leverage the Institute’s existing strategic partners to expand the Institute’s network, visibility and impact.
• Identify and develop a sustainable revenue-producing level of program delivery.
• Maintain the Institute’s flexibility to respond to short-term and unanticipated opportunities that will benefit the Institute’s constituents and increase its value.
• Explore new methods of disseminating the Institute’s information, research, programs.

International Development

Goal

To be recognized as the world’s leading Center for philanthropic studies.

Strategies

• Develop a framework and procedure for establishing strategic international partnerships and establish a small and select number of formal relationships with universities abroad for joint programs including joint degrees and courses via the Internet.
• Collaborate with other Centers in the U.S. for the delivery of programs and dissemination of research internationally.
• Seek endowed programs from international foundations to support student study, library holdings (including electronic data bases and electronic distribution), and at least one signature research program developed in collaboration with one or more institutions abroad.

Public Affairs and Communications

Goal

Ensure that the Center is recognized as a distinctive leader in the field by strengthening the leadership position of the Center as a “thought leader” among key constituents - donors, funders, clients, university, faculty, students, alumni, media, policy makers, and practitioners.

Strategies

• Advance the Center’s position as “thought leader” in the field by actively disseminating information and best practices to practitioners and policy makers to inform practice and policy.
• Actively promote increased awareness and use of Center programs and services to strengthen philanthropy and advocate for the role of philanthropy in civil society nationally and internationally.
• Achieve leadership status in the use of technology to engage and inform current and potential constituents.
• Implement a comprehensive marketing and branding initiative for the Center to increase awareness of the Center and participation in Center programs and services by identifying and meeting the needs and interests of current and prospective Center constituents.
• Improve the dissemination of research findings to targeted groups in order to ensure that research is being translated into practice.

Development

Goal

Develop and implement ongoing and comprehensive model development program for the Center on Philanthropy to engage prospective donors and increase the Center’s profile to ensure continued development of the Center, and position it for maximum impact in meeting the needs of the nonprofit sector and philanthropy.

Strategies

• Build a broad base of support as an intermediary organization while identifying and engaging major gift donors at the level of $100,000 and greater.
• Implement a comprehensive fundraising program modeling TFRS best practices and also helping inform the Center's own training programs.
• Engage prospective major gift donors through an intentional endowment building initiative to secure the remaining $32 million of the Center’s $100 million goal.
• Secure philanthropic support for international initiatives by identifying both national and international partners.

Administration

Goal

Implement model nonprofit management, leadership, and administrative best practices to Center operations.

Strategies

• Build and utilize key partnerships inside the university and with external constituents and collaborators.
• Develop the human resources capacity and structure to ensure fulfillment of the Center’s strategic plan.

Finance

Goal

Develop model budget management system for continuous development of the Center.

Strategies

• Enable directors and department budget managers to critically review and analyze their budget and account reports and make adjustments.
• Develop financial forecasts and cash flow projections for best use of endowment funds.
• Implement Responsibility Center Management (RCM) at the department level and provide training.
• Develop and implement a process for re-setting fiscal priorities, given an uncertain economic future.
• Incorporate productivity metrics with budget development.

Technology

Goal

To support the Center in achieving leadership status in use of technology to enhance its operations and deliver its programs.

Strategies

• Implement and expand best uses of technology for information dissemination, workshops, and courses to meet constituent needs.
• Utilize latest technology for internal communication and knowledge management.
• Develop database analysis for effective communication with Center constituents and for fundraising.