Start-Up Situations

The rise in the number of dedicated full-time development offices in educational establishments in the UK over the last ten years has been exponential. In Independent schools, as an example, the number of development offices has risen five fold in less than four years. For those schools and universities yet to embark on this adventure, however, the prospect can be daunting. Is your establishment ready for permanent fundraising? What does it take to set up such an office? How can it be funded? Who is going to formulate policy, advise on best practice, and set targets? How are these to be monitored? ASK Associates have set up development offices both as Directors themselves and as consultants. They can provide feasibility studies, staff and volunteer recruitment services, IT selection, sourcing, and installation, one- to five-year development plans and ongoing monitoring and mentoring. More important, perhaps, than what they can tell you to do is their experience and subsequent advice on what NOT to do.