Design, communication and what's on our mind

Meaningful Engagement

As part of our ongoing work for Johns Hopkins Medicine, MSK has developed a campaign to celebrate and leverage the 50^th anniversary of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. The campaign encompasses year-long internal and external communication across a broad range of digital, print and environmental initiatives. These include a microsite, podcasts, publications, email, social, displays, and events. As always, we designed the campaign to be authentic, targeted and bold – successfully engaging all stakeholder groups and helping to build meaningful relationships. Let us help you celebrate an upcoming milestone!

Drive it Further

We are delighted to have completed print and digital communication for PGA REACH – the charitable foundation of the PGA of America. Based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, PGA REACH has a mission to positively impact the lives of kids, military veterans, and individuals from diverse backgrounds. Unique initiatives such as the PGA Jr. League, PGA Hope for veterans with disabilities, and endowments for HBCU golf programs, provide access and opportunities to play golf and experience for careers in the golf industry.

Our work supports major donor engagement and fundraising within the Drive It Further campaign.

Philanthropy Survey Results

CCS Fundraising has published their new Pulse survey of philanthropy throughout the country. Pulse provides an interesting window into the fundraising practices of 877 organizations across nonprofit sectors. Key findings include:

69% of respondents receiving major gifts expect to see a fundraising increase from this source in 2022.
70% of respondents had at least partially resumed in-person donor meetings and/or events as of November 2021.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of the organizations surveyed intend to undertake some level of campaign activity this year.

Here is a link to download the complete report.

https://go2.ccsfundraising.com/2022-Pulse-Download.html?utm_source=distribution-email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022-Pulse

Integrated Campaign?

Here’s a quick post about the challenges of single metric (or last click) attribution and, if we ever needed it, a little reminder of the importance of an integrated communications plan…

Mt. Washington Campaign Goes Public

Congratulations to our long-time client Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital for moving from the quiet phase to a public launch of Hope. Heal. Grow. The Centennial Campaign for MWPH.

The hospital has already raised $13.5 million of the hoped for $15 million. The campaign’s goal is to fund the expansion and renovation of the Rosenberg Outpatient Center, to design and build the Ability Center, and to invest in hospital programs and innovative technologies for patient care through the newly created MWPH Children’s Fund.

MSK wrote and designed all the print and digital communication to support the campaign including the campaign theme, logo, case statement, story book, volunteer guide, stationery package, PowerPoint presentation, and online graphics.

Turning Transactional Communication Into Engagement

Fundraising campaigns demand ongoing communication. Often this comes across as simply transactional – giving receipts, event notifications, announcements, and so on.

These can be mailed or emailed but, in either case, they take time and resources. So, how do we maximize the opportunity to move from transactions to communication that engages our audience?

Let’s first establish that simply asking for money is a weak position. And that asking for partnership is a much stronger one. We’re not just trying to convert more prospects into donors but converting more donors into a deeper relationship with the organization.

Instead of hoping donors will give, let’s give donors hope by changing our messaging strategy from superficial to substantive. Instead of basic goals, let’s present specific budgets for 3-5 outcome-oriented initiatives. Rather than highlighting the gifts we’ve secured, let’s speak to how they created enduring philanthropic partnerships. Instead of asking for money, let’s encourage donors to join us for conversations that may define shared purposes and goals.

Positive messaging is vital to constituency building. Let’s start a conversation.

A Record Gift for a Public University

Congratulations to Kristen DeVries and the rest of the leadership team at Western Michigan University. Today they announced a $550 million donation to the University – the largest private gift ever to a public university.

The funding, to be delivered to the university’s foundation over 10 years, will flow in three main streams: $300 million for Western Michigan’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine; $200 million for need-based financial aid, faculty hiring and other university initiatives; and $50 million for the school’s Bronco athletic programs.

As Kristen noted, “An extraordinary day at an extraordinary institution! I am humbled by these selfless donors, whose compassion will transform the lives of our students and our community generation after generation!”

Well done!

Plan to Communicate

Strategic planning has always been an important part of an organization and how it seeks to function. Today, the planning process has taken on an even greater role for those grappling with 2020, its outcomes and implications. Isn’t that every organization?

With budget shortfalls, reorganization, new or redesigned programs, delayed fundraising campaigns, or other disruptions, well-run organizations are doubling down on planning – adapting to create more impact now and into the future.

A recent foundation presentation provided some useful guidelines:

Create a shared vision and develop shared values
Make a plan designed to be flexible and adaptable
Plan for different scenarios
Do a needs assessment
Stay focused on data collection
Reflect and learn
Seek advice from others

To that, I would add…don’t let donor relationships lapse. Now is the time for more communication (printed and digital) not less.

In recent weeks, we’ve developed strategic plan documents for Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania. Please let us know if your organization might benefit from our experience.

Atlanta University Center Consortium

During much of 2020, MSK has been involved with The Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC). Located in the heart of metropolitan Atlanta, AUCC is the world’s oldest and largest association of historically black, private institutions of higher education. Originally formed in 1929, the Consortium is a nonprofit organization that operates on behalf of its member institutions: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College.

Our work has focused on a Data Science Initiative (DSI) launched in 2019 with initial seed funding from UnitedHealth Group. AUCC DSI is working to increase the number of highly skilled underrepresented minorities in data science and to advance data science research, especially as it impacts minority communities.

The DSI has a broad range of audiences from high school students and guidance counselors to government and prospective corporate partners. MSK developed institutional branding, content and digital communication for AUCC and the DSI. The initiative continues to have success in all spheres with plans for increased print and digital marketing in 2021.