How Skidmore College Expanded Its Donor Pipeline with DonorSearch Exceeding its Goal of 23 Million

Client: Skidmore College

Industry: Higher Education

“I would highly recommend it to any shop that is looking to build a pipeline and further dig into prospects– especially either in a campaign where you are experiencing some of that donor fatigue or as you are getting ready to jump into a next campaign. And, so, even for us, at Skidmore, we’ve ended a seven-year campaign, which we ended above our goal of nearly $23 million.” – Emily Marcason-Tolmie, Director of Prospect Research Management and Analytics, Skidmore College

Client Overview:

Skidmore College, located in Saratoga Springs, New York, is known for its commitment to academic excellence and the liberal arts. With an advancement team of 60 and a prospect research team of three, Skidmore continually works to identify new donor prospects and strengthen its fundraising efforts, particularly during major campaigns.

The Challenge:

• Donor Fatigue: The prospect research team observed donor fatigue as they neared the end of a seven-year fundraising campaign, prompting the need for renewed engagement strategies.
• Need for New Solutions: Previously relying on a wealth screening provider, the team aimed to explore innovative tools to effectively identify high-potential prospects.
• Actionable Data Requirement: To build a strong major gift pipeline, Skidmore sought a tool that would provide clear and actionable data for both the research team and experienced development officers.

Results:

• Boosted Prospect Pipeline: DonorSearch helped Skidmore identify a new pool of high-potential prospects, including DS 1-1 rated individuals who had previously gone unnoticed. This allowed Skidmore to expand its major and principal gift prospect pipeline significantly.
• Upgraded Prospect Ratings: By cross-referencing internal capacity ratings with DonorSearch’s DS tier and capacity scores, Skidmore adjusted several donor ratings, upgrading numerous prospects to principal gift levels. This provided an opportunity to secure larger gifts than initially anticipated.
• Improved Fundraiser Engagement: The clear, tangible data provided by DonorSearch resonated with Skidmore’s seasoned gift officers. DonorSearch’s insights, such as the likelihood of giving based on real estate holdings or political contributions, enhanced their understanding of donor potential and informed strategic outreach.
• Campaign Success: During the final year of Skidmore’s seven-year campaign, the college exceeded its $230 million goal. The insights from DonorSearch enabled the team to adjust proposals and target higher ask amounts for certain prospects, contributing to the campaign’s success.

Solution/Strategy:

Emily Marcason-Tolmie, Director of Prospect Research Management and Analytics at Skidmore College, led the decision to implement DonorSearch. The team was impressed by the ease of understanding and transparency of DonorSearch’s scoring and capacity data, making it an ideal choice for integration into their new CRM. DonorSearch provided demographic and wealth data that was easy to explain to fundraisers, allowing for more informed decision-making in their prospect management strategy.

Benefits:

• Efficient Prospect Management: DonorSearch’s user-friendly interface allowed Skidmore to easily integrate DS tiers and capacity scores into their CRM, enabling the research team to efficiently tier and segment their prospect pools.
• Actionable Data: The straightforward formula behind DonorSearch’s capacity and tier ratings made it easier for Skidmore’s fundraising team to understand and utilize the data in their strategy sessions.
• Ongoing Support and Innovation: DonorSearch’s dedicated customer support, including regular updates on new tools and features, ensured that Skidmore’s research team stayed current with the latest advancements in fundraising technology.

Conclusion:

Skidmore College’s partnership with DonorSearch proved invaluable in revitalizing their donor pipeline and achieving campaign success. DonorSearch’s intuitive data, seamless integration, and exceptional customer service allowed Skidmore to not only meet but exceed their fundraising goals. As Skidmore continues to pursue new philanthropic initiatives, DonorSearch remains a key tool in their prospect management strategy.