Brakeley Client List |
 |
||
| The State University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands This ancient Dutch university, founded in 1614, was one of the first in the Netherlands to form an alumni department and start communicating regularly with its alumni in the 1980’s. In 1996, the University asked Brakeley to advise on how to introduce fundraising from alumni and from the corporate sector. Brakeley conducted a feasibility and planning study and recommended a limited capital campaign as a way of galvanizing the whole university around the idea of fundraising and being more connected with the society and with business. This in itself was something of a challenge to the history and traditions of the University. After lengthy and careful consultation with all university faculties, a list of academic projects requiring external support was compiled. At the same time, a group of leading and influential friends of the University was developed, many of them alumni whom the University had not previously recognised.
This did not develop as a conventional capital campaign, but the University has developed a model of fundraising that brings in support from foundations, alumni and corporations and that suits the Dutch culture. An active foundation board is in place and the foundation itself is the University’s fundraising vehicle. “The effect of Brakeley’s work has been to transform the attitudes within the University towards alumni, the business community and the rest of society. We have a firm basis for future fundraising.” Professor Geert Sanders, Executive Director of the Ubbo Emmius Foundation at the University of Groningen. |
||
