Stellenbosch University (SU) has established itself as a place of excellence and relevance and this reputation is starting to pay off if its recent fundraising successes, facilitated by the Institutional Advancement Division, are anything to go by. By 31 July this year, the Division had received R176m (82%) of its overall fundraising target of R215m for 2013.
Institutional Advancement, consisting of three subdivisions - Alumni Relations, Communication and Liaison and Development - is tasked with building relationships, creating awareness, generating support for SU's academic, research and community interaction vision and securing philanthropic donations.
"Stellenbosch's reputation is growing. We've received more than R75m from international funders - the target for 2013 is R76m. For individual donations and bequests the picture looks equally good. Targets are respectively set at R20m and R23m and by 31 July 2013 we had reached more than R12m and more than R19m," says Ms Annamia van den Heever, Director: Development.
Support from corporate South Africa remains steady, especially for bursaries and projects that build the country's maths, science and engineering base.
Mr Sidney van Heerden, who works with the University's major individual donors, says it's exciting and a privilege to be part of helping secure SU's future. "We engage donors on academic priorities important to them and by putting them at the centre of the process; we foster an environment where excellence in student, staff and community interaction can be achieved through greater private funding."
The Alumni Office has also been a hive of activity, getting focus groups together in an effort to better engage and understand alumni. According to Ms Bev Witten, Senior Director: Alumni Relations, these groups have given them valuable feedback which they're incorporating into their fundraising strategy. An e-newsletter (e-lumnus) was also launched to better connect with alumni and facilitate giving.
Ms Witten continues: "Alumni giving is the foundation of all sustained giving at any higher education institution. We are no exception. Every gift counts and it's the collective gifts of our alumni that can make the greatest impact. They are our ambassadors, our allies and our biggest resource. Their success epitomises SU's success."
"We've hosted two telethons this year, asking alumni to support the SU Bursary Fund. The telethon helped secure an 18% increase in new donors which represents huge potential for future giving," says SU Alumni Relations Manager, Mr Fahim Docrat. According to Docrat, outreach efforts in KwaZulu-Natal secured a commitment of R2m in bursaries from a major corporate for 2014. He says one alumnus was so impressed with the University's direction that he committed R35m in the form of a bequest.
Van den Heever believes there are various reasons for the wealth of goodwill towards SU. "Vision 2030 sends a strong, positive message," she says. The aim is for the University to become more inclusive, innovative and future-oriented – a place where staff and students provide thought leadership.
"Our HOPE Project also plays a huge role in attracting donors. SU has been using its knowledge and expertise to address seemingly intractable problems in South Africa and the rest of the continent. Donors have seen the results and have confidence knowing that their money is being put to good use. Advancement also invested in professional people and we're now seeing the results. They've built up trust and cultivated relationships to SU's benefit," she adds.
Photograph: Student operators in action during an earlier telethon.
