Team Commodity AC Feb 2025 | Alexander Haas

Fewbruary 6, 2025

From the Desk of

Arthur L. Criscillis ¦ Managing Partner

Information: Commodity or Precious Metal

When our college or university (or some component of them) has some special accomplishment, is recognized with some major award, or has some other noteworthy event, our communication team goes into high gear—and it’s well that it should. We have good or important news to share, so we want to disseminate it broadly to as many constituents as possible through as many communication channels as possible. We also like to do it as quickly as possible—get that good/important information out there! This is entirely understandable and, for the most part, appropriate.

However, for advancement purposes, this approach may be suboptimal. It’s not that we don’t want good and important information to be announced from the highest hills, as it were. It’s just that we may not want it to be done as quickly or as broadly as is the tendency of our institutions.

In advancement, we think about individuals (some of our principal and major gift prospects, for example) or special segments of individuals (such as donors in our $1 million cumulative giving society or planned giving donors). We think about how we can help them to know that they are valued, that they are important, that they are special. How can we help our college or university sustain or even build the relationship they have with these individuals or groups of individuals?

One way that we can demonstrate to people that they are important, trusted, valued, and appreciated is to share information with them. Think about it: When you get good or important information, whom do you tell? Who is among the first to hear the news? Family. Close friends. In short, people who are important to us. Similarly, when we can share good news or important information with those who are close to our charity and have demonstrated philanthropically their belief in us before it is broadly disseminated before the masses have heard or read it, we are making a statement to them about how we value them. They are insiders. They are important. They are valued.

So, from a development perspective, it is important to keep our antenna up for any information that might be shared quickly but on a limited basis. Once information is broadly and generally announced, for fundraising purposes, it is commoditized. When we have the opportunity to share it with select people or select groups before its being announced, it’s gold. And the beauty of it is that having it be gold versus lead costs our colleges nothing—just a brief pause.

A Look at Some Recent Client Partner News

Congratulations to our Alumni Client Partner, the University of South Florida, who received a $2.2 million gift from Joey and Jennifer Redner—the founder of Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing and his wife—in support of an on-campus stadium project and a brewing arts program.

West Virginia University (WVU) received a $5 million gift from Steve Ballmer, owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, and his wife, Connie, in honor of late NBA legend and WVU alumnus Jerry West. WVU Foundation is an Alumni Client Partner.

Our Alumni Client Partner, Florida Atlantic University, received a $6 million grant from the late Bernie Marcus and the Marcus Foundation to expand the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health. The institute, launched in 2019 with a grant from the Marcus Foundation, created a national model demonstrating comprehensive integrative health’s effectiveness.

What’s Next for DAFs

Donor-advised fund providers aim to make their products as commonplace as college savings and retirement accounts. And while DAFs have reshaped the culture of philanthropy, critics worry it could change giving habits.

Today, DAFs are relatively rare — there are fewer than 2 million accounts — yet mighty, thanks to their collective $250 billion in assets, according to the National Philanthropic Trust. To expand its market reach, the DAF industry is taking steps to make funds more accessible. These include:

Half of the 10 largest DAF sponsors have no minimum. Typically, donors are required to put in anywhere from $5,000 to $250,000 to open a fund.

At least three community foundations in large metro areas do not require a minimum contribution. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta dropped its $100,000 minimum in 2020 “with the intention of living into the word ‘community’ that’s in our name,” says Tim Bresnahan, vice president for philanthropy.

Workplace giving programs are incorporating DAFs.

Silicon Valley start-ups like Daffy and CharityVest are offering low-cost DAFs and encouraging individuals to set aside money each month for charity.

At least a few charities have noticed a change in who’s making DAF gifts. Prospect researchers and major-gift officers once viewed DAF ownership as a reliable indicator of wealth, one fundraiser told the DAF Research Collaborative recently as part of a study of DAFs and fundraising. No more. “What you’re really seeing … is that it’s a tool that is being used by the middle class to engage in philanthropy.” COP, 1-14

Alexander Haas is proud of our long support of
CASE: Council of Advancement and Support Education
and are the honored to be a 2025 CASE Bronze Educational Partner.

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We Know Colleges & Universities
For more than 35 years, Alexander Haas has been a fixture in the nonprofit community. We are honored to have worked with so many large and small college and universities; both public and private institutions, across the country. These schools that help mold today’s young adults into tomorrow’s leaders. Take a look at our list of higher education clients, past and present.

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Whether your need is in Capital Campaign, Annual Fund Campaign, Major Gifts, Leadership Annual Giving, Planned Giving or all of the above, we take a fresh approach to nonprofit fundraising.

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