Pursuant helps Boys and Girls Clubs

Generate Major Gifts

Pursuant Ketchum developed a program to help Boys & Girls Clubs of America raise major gifts at the local club level.

Client Profile

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national nonprofit that provides a safe, positive place for children to learn and grow through meaningful relationships with caring adults, life-enhancing programs, and character-developing experiences. Since forming its first club in 1860, BGCA now has more than 1,100 affiliate clubs in 4,000 different locations, all serving 4 million youth each year.

Challenge

BGCA had a strong annual fund program that was successful for several years, but when the national economy started declining, so did their funding. The group needed to secure significant gifts to fund critical programs, but had only focused on raising major gifts during capital campaigns. They needed a new strategy that could address a spectrum of challenges and would allow local clubs—run primarily by volunteers—to engage in consistent major gift development.

Solution

Pursuant Ketchum developed a pilot program to equip local clubs to seek out larger gifts. The new major gift strategy was built on the assumptions that every club had a solid case for support and could identify at least one major gift prospect. The program kicked off with clubs specially selected by size and geographical reach. Each club brought a staff person, board member, and volunteer to the first training session. Pursuant Ketchum created an exhaustive major gift strategy manual distributed to clubs participating in the pilot, conducted extensive training, and provided step-by-step counsel for the length of the program.

Results

The pilot program kicked off in November 2009 with 43 clubs participating. During 2010, 21 of the clubs successfully raised major gifts totaling $9.3 million and counting. The program will continue to roll out to more clubs around the country.

Client Quote

“Pursuant Ketchum’s major gift pilot program was an unparalleled, scalable success. We rolled it out to even more clubs in 2011 and it continued to perform at a high level.”

Jim Gumpert, Senior Director, Planned Giving, Boys and Girls Clubs of America

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