As the university ramps up for its first-ever comprehensive campaign, it will soon launch a series of fund-raising seminars for employees and volunteers that cover topics such as donor relationships and the role of deans in major gift campaigns.

Now in the planning stages, the university's comprehensive campaign has the potential to double the fund-raising capacity of the campus and boost support for undergraduate student scholarships, graduate student fellowships, endowed chairs and professorships, research and infrastructure.

To get there, the campus is studying a fund-raising target of perhaps $900 million in a period that would stretch from 2005 to 2012. It would be the university's largest fund-raising campaign since its inception in 1908 and position the campus for the next century.

"The workshops will be helpful in light of the growing importance of gift support for UC Davis," said Cheryl Brown Lohse, associate vice chancellor for development. "Gift support is a key to achieving the university's ambitious goals in the areas of teaching, research and public service."

People and knowledge are vital elements of the equation, says Brown Lohse. The upcoming Comprehensive Campaign Preparation Workshops are aimed at expanding the university's fund-raising capacity. University Relations, which develops the public, private and donor partnerships for UC Davis' fund-raising efforts, enlisted the consulting firm of Grenzebach, Glier and Associates in Chicago to create the training program.

Brown Lohse said UC Davis chose Grenzebach, Glier and Associates as its consultant for the campaign because of that firm's extensive experience assisting other large universities in their fund-raising efforts.

"The universities that are most effective at fund raising do invest in training such as this," she said, "and Grenzebach Glier has studied the characteristics of successful university campaigns."

Deans, department chairs, development staff, volunteers and administrators will find the upcoming workshops highly informative, added Brown Lohse. "We have designed these workshops to cover a variety of topics," she said.

The dates and topics of those sessions include:

• Wednesday, Feb. 23: "Understanding Money to be an Effective Fundraiser." This seminar will discuss how gift money is generated, taxed and perceived so that development officers better understand their prospects. The facilitator is John Kudless, senior executive vice president at Grenzebach, Glier and Associates. The session will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom B of the ARC (Activities and Recreation Center).
• Friday, March 4: "The Role of Deans and Department Chairs in a Comprehensive Campaign." With a focus on campus leadership, this workshop discusses creating campaign plans, developing a donor prospect base, understanding major donors, supervising development staff and working with central development, among other topics. Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef will give an introduction, and Martin Grenzebach, president of Grenzebach, Glier and Associates, will lead the session, slated to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom B of the ARC.
• Monday, March 14: "Developing the Campaign Plan for a School." This seminar covers how to develop a comprehensive campaign plan for a school or unit, including case for support, gift tables, prospect identification, cultivation and solicitation, communications, calendar, budget, and how to work with central development. Facilitated by Jim Looney, this workshop takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Buehler Alumni and Visitor's Center's AGR Room.
• Thursday, March 24: "The Relationship-based Major Gift Process." The seminar will discuss prospect management, donor identification, clearance, strategy, and using planned giving as a marketing instrument to maximize major gifts. The difference between major gifts and principal gifts will be addressed. Led by Kudless, this session will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in a location to be announced.
• Thursday, April 7: "Maximizing the Major Gifts Market." This seminar will focus on the fundamentals of major gifts work, including how to effectively cultivate, solicit, close and steward a prospect. Kudless will facilitate this session, which will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in a location to be announced.
• Thursday, May 5: "The Deans' and Chairs' Role in Building an Effective Volunteer Base." The discussion will address strategies for creating strong volunteer organizations with clear expectations and measurable outcomes, and highlight the different roles of the deans, academic leaders, development officers and other volunteers in the campaign. Led by Looney with an introduction by Vanderhoef, this session is set for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom B of the ARC.

To RSVP for any of the sessions, contact Janice Aboytes at jmaboytes@ucdavis.edu or telephone (530) 757-8471.

In addition, two other workshops are planned for later in the year. One will spotlight the campaign plans for the university and each school and unit. The other will address campaign communications and marketing. The dates and locations of these sessions will be announced later.

Getting feedback

Still, Brown Lohse and other campus officials acknowledge that a successful campaign will require hard work and the dedication of many volunteers and staff members in development offices across the university.

Brown Lohse said that UC Davis typically receives more than $70 million in philanthropic support each year, from more than 50,000 donors -- individuals, foundations and businesses.

Campus leaders are evaluating money-raising priorities. One key element is a "feasibility assessment" or survey that the campus is now in the process of conducting and which will help identify realistic goals and provide information about potential donors.

"This survey includes many interviews with campus supporters and friends to get their advice, and other ongoing consultation and collaboration, in order to craft campaign parameters that are most appropriate for UC Davis," said Brown Lohse.

In the final analysis, the success of the campaign depends on people getting involved, Brown Lohse explained.

"Each member of the university community can experience and express, in unique and often heartfelt ways, the campus's achievements and aspirations," she said. "Each person can see and understand the role that gifts play in their own UC Davis experience."