According to a recent report from the Council for Aid to Education (read on www.insidehighered.com), the charitable contributions to colleges and universities fell 11.9% in 2009 which represented the "steepest decline" since the Council started collecting national data on fund raising in 1969. The numbers were startling:
- giving to private bachelor's institutions was off 18.3%
- Giving to capital gifts was down 25%
- annual alumni giving fell to 10%, the "lowest level ever recorded."
A good marketing strategy will enable you to better compete for students, reputation and recourses. In particular it will help you:
- more clearly articulate what you stand for and what is your position in the marketplace
- express how and why you are relevant and should be supported
- communicate your message to important constituents
- engage your alumni so that you understand what they would wish to support and they understand how they can help make a difference in the health of the school, the community and the country.
Marketing must be used more strategically if your school wishes to survive and thrive in this difficult economic time. as our friends at Mercyhurst College would say..."Carpe Diem!"
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