Maintaining Momentum
Weill Cornell Medical College (New York City, NY)
The Situation:
Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City had just publicly launched a $1.3 billion “Discoveries that Make a Difference” campaign on the heels of a successful $700 million campaign that funded a new state-of-the-art 13-story ambulatory center. There were many unique challenges. At the dedication of the new Weill Greenberg Center, the lead donors to its $700 million campaign would be recognized. Concurrently, solicitations for the new $1.3 billion campaign were underway, while the new campaign priorities and messages were being rolled out. Even in a city accustomed to a fast and audacious pace, the new campaign faced challenges with potential donor burn-out and message confusion.
Deliverables:
As the medical college's Chief Development Officer, Susan Holt led a team that developed an inspiring dedication program and supportive collateral materials that thanked and recognized donors by clearly delineating the previous campaign’s impact. In speeches, videos and building tours hosted by faculty, the team delicately interwove the new campaign messages, the aspirations and hopes for the future and the research priorities that propel the Medical College forward. The messaging driven by donor and patient stories illustrated how the previous campaign had set the stage for the college to seize these new opportunities. The building dedication also introduced the new campaign chairman, an important nuance, touching on the future of the “Discoveries that Make a Difference” campaign.
To demonstrate the medical college's momentum and to steward vital relationships, the building dedication program celebrated the great accomplishments made possible by visionary generosity and positioned the next campaign priorities and messages.
Outcomes:
Interactive and personalized major donor tours of the beautiful state-of-the-art ambulatory center, including opportunities to interact with the college’s leadership, faculty and students, set the stage for the new strategic plan and campaign to be unveiled. Interviews with faculty were displayed on a continuous loop throughout the building, enabling self-tours as well as individualized guided tours. The “Discoveries that Make a Difference Campaign” Steering Committee had already been recruited, and the first meeting of this leadership group was held the day after the dedication when enthusiasm and excitement for what had been accomplished and what could be was high. Everyone was ready to continue the momentum and get down to the work of the new bold campaign. It is so true that success begets success. The intricately designed dedication of this new building captured the imagination and passion of the lead donors. It helped create a meaningful sense of accomplishment, a connection amongst the community of leaders, and ownership by those who were to be the leaders and lead donors to the ambitious $1.3 billion campaign. Over the course of the coming year, lead gifts totaling nearly $700 million were committed.
