Utica University
We helped this University realize its most successful fundraising effort to date and brought its advancement organization to maturity.
Client
Utica University, in Utica, New York, is a comprehensive, independent, private institution founded in 1946. In addition to undergraduate degrees in a broad range of fields, UU also offers graduate degree programs, including master's and doctorate options.
Challenge
The University wished to launch a comprehensive campaign but had no development infrastructure to do so. Innovative Resources was retained as campaign and development counsel.
Our Solution
With Innovative Resources’ George Nehme as primary counsel, we led the University through a comprehensive campaign that included annual giving, facilities, and growth of an endowment. We developed a suite of digital and print communications that articulated the mission of the college and the critical import of funding priorities in a way the college had never done before. We led development staff and the board in focusing on and refining donor strategies. We also put in place internal processes and procedures that are critical to a conventional development office.
Impact
The comprehensive campaign was a hugely successful effort, raising $34 million—which was $9 million above the target goal of $25 million. We helped the University realize its most successful fundraising effort to date at the time and to bring advancement organization from its adolescence to its maturity for future success. Innovative Resources’ expertise and leadership resulted in the University retaining George Nehme as counsel (and later as Vice President) for 16 years.