Building Philanthropy from the Ground Up:
Illinois State University
Illinois State University and Campbell & Company worked together to build a successful culture of philanthropy from the ground up.
In 1997, Illinois State University faced a challenge familiar to many public universities embarking on a major fundraising campaign: how to engage the university community – from alumni to administrative staff and department heads – and inspire them to play important roles in the campaign’s success. For Illinois State, the task was especially daunting since Redefining “normal”: The Campaign for Illinois State University would be its first comprehensive campaign.
To set the campaign’s priorities, Illinois State drew on its strategic plan and worked with Campbell & Company to engage each university unit, from its six colleges to the library and athletics, in an intensive case development process. This process profoundly changed the University’s fundraising culture, setting the stage for the campaign’s 22 gifts of $1 million or more, many from alumni who trained as teachers.
Any fundraising campaign encounters unforeseen obstacles. Redefining “normal” had its share over its five-years, including the terrorist attacks of September 11, a national recession, a state budget crisis that reduced funding by $20 million and a new University president at mid-campaign. Despite these challenges, Illinois State, with the help of Campbell & Company, stayed focused on its goals and surpassed its five-year, $88 million campaign goal.
