Vice President for Resource Development

Resource Development encourages private philanthropy to support MIT's academic, research, and community activities. We work with four broad constituencies in this process: corporations; foundations; individuals capable of principal gifts, major gifts, and planned gifts; and nonalumni individual donors. Our efforts to attract private support from these constituencies rely heavily on the collaboration of our staff in research and information systems, communications and donor relations, finance and administration, and strategic program development. Resource Development's long-term strategic goal is to develop the overall philanthropic engagement of these constituencies to sustain a level of giving of at least $200 million annually in cash by 2004. The now $2 billion Campaign for MIT supports this effort by focusing the Institute on the most important priorities for the future and engaging donors about their role in shaping this future.

In FY2003, MIT and Resource Development met the $1.5 billion goal of the Campaign for MIT two years early, built on this early momentum and raised the goal to $2 billion while allowing an additional 12 to 18 months to meet the new challenge. In a year of deepening economic and international uncertainty, the campaign total stood at $1.66 billion, $1.2 billion paid and the remainder in outstanding pledges. The campaign continued to provide needed support for programs, people, and facilities in every School. Overall, the Campaign for MIT has created 74 endowed faculty chairs, 231 endowed and expendable scholarships, and 267 endowed and expendable graduate fellowships. The hallmark of this campaign continues to be giving from individuals, which stands at more than $1 billion when adjusted for cross-credits. Fifty-two percent of the alumni body have participated in this effort and have given well over half the campaign gifts from individuals.

Client orientation, collaboration across the Institute, sustainability in our work, and professionalism and accountability in our performance are important components of our success.

Resource Development cultivates philanthropic relationships targeted to key institutional priorities by carefully listening to and understanding the needs of our clients—be they corporations, foundations, alumni, prospective donors, volunteers, faculty, labs, departments, centers, MIT's senior officers, or administrative staff across the Institute. Not only is client feedback a standard part of all donor related educational programs and web-based and written communications, but it is integral to the fabric of how we conduct our business.

Collaboration is critical to effectively generate private support for needs across the Institute. Resource Development closely supports the development efforts in each School to identify, cultivate, and solicit prospects; market initiatives; and support the professional development of the School-based development officers. We partner with the Alumni/ae Association to sustain and maintain the alumni database of record, ADONIS, conduct alumni/ae surveys, and assess our volunteer partnerships. Also, Resource Development has contributed to the Institute's efforts to develop key institutional messages through the Communications Operating Group. We have participated in important Institutional research enterprises such as The Economic Impact of Boston's Eight Research Universities on the Metropolitan Boston Area, and we frequently participate in institutional initiatives to assess financial administration, human resource support, or more efficient ways to share resources.

Resource Development works to sustain ongoing and increasing philanthropy from our constituencies through targeted stewardship programs and relevant, personal communication and engagement. Since the staff serve as facilitators and liaisons to cultivate these important institutional relationships, staff retention is a critical component to sustainability. We encourage long-term staff retention with careful attention to industry salary standards and an emphasis on professional development and growth on the job.

The work of Resource Development directly affects the Institute's bottom line. Every month the Executive Committee of the Corporation reviews the monthly private support totals and overall progress of the campaign. Monthly, we report campaign progress to all campaign volunteers in the email Fast Facts. Quarterly, the vice president provides written or public reports of fundraising progress to the MIT Corporation and the Campaign Steering Committee. Additionally, we annually review and update job descriptions, measure employee accomplishments and progress toward goals in the annual departmental performance review process, and as a result regularly review and adjust our goals to guarantee success.

In FY2003 private support totaled $191 million. This included:

Private support for FY2003 compares with:

Gifts-in-kind for the past year (principally gifts of equipment) were valued at $8.2 million.

By source, gifts totaled:

Expendable and endowed funds were designated as follows:

During the year, Resource Development promoted nine women and five men, including one Asian woman and one Hispanic man. Twenty-one open staff positions were filled. Resource Development continued its effort to recruit qualified women and minority candidates by working closely with Human Resources and others to identify new resources from which to attract a diverse applicant pool. director of communications and donor relations Laure Morris left MIT to relocate to Indiana. After 18 years of service, director of campaign giving, David Woodruff, left MIT to become the dean for development at the Harvard School of Public Health. Key appointments this year include: Pamela Dumas Serfes, director of communications and donor relations; Michael Lawson, director of marketing and communications in corporate relations; and Robert Scott, director of programming and systems support. To provide oversight to the efforts of the Office of Campaign Giving, Kate Eastment and Lisa Signorelli were promoted to associate directors of the Office of Campaign Giving.

Barbara G. Stowe
Vice President for Resource Development

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