Strategic Actions, Goals and Accomplishments

Library External Affairs & Advancement: Key Activities and Accomplishments

Owned by Nancy Turner
Last updated: Dec 02, 2020
7 min read

 FY 19-20

● The Libraries continued to grow its robust fundraising base. As of June 2020, approximately $999,350 was raised, exceeding the goal of $472,000 set by the university, of which approximately $917,950 is cash and $81,400 is in-kind. The increased cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the Libraries’ donors and prospects, as well as enhanced outreach to cultivate donors for the new library, has helped grow our donor base to a total of approximately 386, of which 51 are new. Approximately 45 of these are Conwell level donors who have given $1,000 or more.

● Completed approximately 121 meetings with current and prospective donors. Reached out to 100% of fundraising portfolio as well as hundreds of donors and prospects via phone calls and emails while working remotely during the pandemic.

● We continued to steward existing donors through meetings; letters; newsletters; holiday cards; the 2020 calendar with images from the Special Collections Research Center and Blockson Collection; invitations to library programs and events; and other mailings. Due to the pandemic and the need to work remotely, we collaborated with the Libraries’ communications team to create, write, and design our first-ever online Speaking Volumes newsletter and spring fundraising appeal letter which were distributed to our mailing list of over 6,000 donors, prospects, and friends. In addition, we continued acknowledging donor gifts via a new online stewardship weekly format.

● The Libraries top gifts received this fiscal year included: ○ $500,000 from Sandy Cadwalader to name the Frederic S. Schroeder and Family Green Roof of the Library; ○ $150,000 from McLean Contributionship for the McLean Contributionship Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Endowed Lecture Series; ○ $50,000 from Audrey Merves through the Louis and Bessie Stein Foundation for the PJAC endowment; ○ $20,000 (in-kind) from Allan and Anne Edmunds of a portion of the Allan and Anne Edmunds Collection; ○ $16,731 from Carol Lang for the Carol J. Lang Library Staff Support & Development Fund; ○ $10,000 from John Hurst Livingstone for the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards Endowment.

● We have researched several foundations and funding entities including trusts in an effort to obtain additional opportunities for naming gifts to support the new library endowment, totaling approximately $615,000.

● In lieu of a meeting (due to the pandemic), the Libraries’ Board of Visitors members were sent an update video from Dean Lucia. We identified and prepared nominations for two new candidates to the Libraries’ Board of Visitors.

● We prepared and mailed the fall appeal letter and collaborated with the Libraries’ communications team to create, write, and design an online format for the spring appeal letter for the first time (due to the pandemic). These appeals were sent to the Libraries' donors and prospects, which combined generated approximately $8,922. Approximately $40,760 was raised to support the Libraries' Annual Fund.

● Approximately $18,750 was raised for the Special Collections Research Center. Of amount raised, $5,200 was in cash and $13,550 was in-kind.

● Approximately $86,655 was raised to support the Blockson Collection. Of the amount raised, $18,805 was in cash and $67,850 was in-kind.

● Approximately $16,165 was raised to support the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards. Major donors include Jack Livingstone and Gale, a Cengage company.

● In addition, we developed a range of publications highlighting various funds and programs, and collaborated with the Livingstone Awards’ donors and the Libraries' Communications team (due to the pandemic) to restructure this awards initiative to an online/virtual format - its first-ever.

● We continued to fundraise for the new library building by:  

  • identifying and cultivating major donors and prospects to provide naming gifts for the new building; 
  • updating the library website to reflect naming gifts received and collaborating with the Libraries’ website designer in order to enhance the fundraising giving website;
  • conducting numerous tours of the new library for current and prospective donors;
  • sending announcements about and current images of the new library to Libraries’ donors and prospects; and
  • planning new strategies to raise naming gifts of $10,000 and above.

● 4 new proposals of $50,000 or more were in development, pending, or funded. These include: Muirfield Foundation ($250,000 - declined); Sandy Cadwalader ($500,000 - funded); McLean Contributionship ($150,000 - funded); and Audrey Merves ($50,000 - funded).

FY 18-19


● The Libraries continued to grow its robust fundraising base. As of June 2019, approximately $1,237,240 was raised, exceeding the goal of $450,000 set by the university, of which approximately $471,529 is cash and $765,711 is in-kind. The increased cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the Libraries’ donors and prospects, as well as enhanced outreach to cultivate donors for the new library, has helped grow our donor base to a total of approximately 431, of which 128 are new. Approximately 65 of these are Conwell level donors who have given $1,000 or more.

● Completed approximately 127 meetings with current and prospective donors. We continued to steward existing donors through meetings; letters; newsletters; holiday cards; the 2018 calendar with images from the Special Collections Research Center and Blockson Collection; invitations to library programs and events; and other mailings.

● Several gifts have been secured to name spaces in the new library Charles Library. This includes $50,000 from Mark Vogel, $30,000 from Joseph Duckworth, $20,000 from Leonard Mellman, $10,000 from Russell Ring, $10,000 from Estelle Alexander, and $10,000 from Pat Luddy. Several other major proposals for the new building are in the pipeline for possible gifts in FY ’20.

● The Libraries top gifts received this fiscal year included:

○  An in-kind gift from Larry Magid of business records and memorabilia;

○  An in-kind gift from Golden Auctions of Tupac Shakur lyrics and memorabilia;

○ $156,120 from Pew Charitable Trusts for the Blockson Collection’s Black Lives Have Always Mattered project;

○ $50,000 from Mark Vogel for the Library Endowment Fund;

○ $38,000 the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center for the PJAC endowment;

○ $30,000 from Joe Duckworth for the Library Endowment Fund;

○ $25,000 from Audrey Merves through the Louis and Bessie Stein Foundation for the PJAC endowment;

○ $20,000 from Leonard Mellman for the Library Endowment Fund;

● We have researched several foundations and funding entities including trusts in an effort to obtain additional naming gifts to support the new library endowment, totaling approximately $745,000.

● Through the generous support of our donors and friends, including our newest Board of Visitors members, Sue Popkin and Mickey Langsfeld, the Libraries reached its $1.8 million endowment goal to preserve and sustain the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Collection.

● We prepared and mailed the fall and spring library appeal letter to the Libraries' donors and prospects, which combined generated approximately $11,314. Approximately $41,680 has been raised to support the Libraries' Annual Fund.

● Approximately $464,245 has been raised for the Special Collections Research Center. Of amount raised, $457,875 was in-kind.

● Approximately $327,895 has been raised to support the Blockson Collection. Of the amount raised, $307,000 was in-kind.

  • Approximately $9,850 has been raised to support the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards.

● In addition, we developed a range of publications highlighting various funds and programs, including the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards.

● We continued to fundraise for the new library building by:

  • identifying and cultivating major donors and prospects to provide naming gifts for the new building;
  • updating new library website to reflect naming gifts received;
  • planning alumni events in key cities such as Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco to garner support for the new building;
  • sending announcements about and current construction images of the new library to Libraries’ donors and prospects; and
  • planning new strategies to raise naming dollars including lower levels of $10,000 and above.


FY 17-18

-The Libraries continued to grow its robust fundraising base. As of June 2018, approximately $11,708,923 was raised, exceeding the goal of $410,000 set by the university, of which approximately $11,389,923 is cash and $319,000 is in-kind. The increased cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the Libraries’ donors and prospects, as well as enhanced outreach to cultivate donors for the new library, has helped grow our donor base to a total of approximately 374, of which 64 are new. Approximately 70 of these are Conwell level donors who have given $1,000 or more.

-Completed approximately 140 meetings with current and prospective donors. We continued to steward existing donors through meetings; letters; newsletters; holiday cards; the 2018 calendar with images from the Special Collections Research Center and Blockson Collection; invitations to library programs and events; and other mailings. -For the first time in the history of the Libraries, we have received two cash gifts of $1 million or greater. A $10 million gift has been secured to name the new library Charles Library, and a $1 million pledge was secured to name the Special Collections Research Center Reading Room in the new library. In addition, one other major gift

- $150,000 - was secured for the new library. Several other major proposals for the new building are in the pipeline for possible gifts in FY ’19.

The Libraries top gifts received this fiscal year included:

-$10,000,000 pledge from the Charles Hazlehurst Moura Family Foundation for the Charles Library Fund;

-$270,000 (in-kind) from Dr. Luis T. González Del Valle of his archives;

-$1,000,000 pledge from The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation for the Albert M. Greenfield Civic History Endowment Fund;

-$150,000 from the McLean Contributionship for the Library Endowment Fund;

-$41,000 the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center for the PJAC endowment; -$30,000 from the Estate of Joseph Z. Nitecki; -$20,308.50 (in-kind) from Barbara Allen of her archives;

-$20,000 from Audrey Merves through the Louis and Bessie Stein Foundation for the PJAC endowment;

-$20,000 from the Duckworth Family Fund for the Library Endowment Fund;

-$18,135 (in-kind) from Ella and Richard Kennedy of their archives.

-We continued to work with members of the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center's board in an effort to raise funds for the PJAC endowment. We have raised approximately $1,763,000 million toward the $1.8 million goal over ten years at the end of calendar year 2019. -We prepared and mailed the fall and spring library appeal letter to the Libraries' donors and prospects, which combined generated approximately $25,500.

Approximately $41,700 has been raised to support the Libraries' Annual Fund.

-Approximately $297,800 has been raised for the Special Collections Research Center. Of amount raised, $292, 865 was in-kind.

-Approximately $22,800 has been raised to support the Blockson Collection. Of the amount raised, $4,800 was in-kind.

-Approximately $19,600 has been raised to support the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards.

-In addition, we developed a range of publications highlighting various funds and programs, including the Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards.

-We continued to fund raise for the new library building by:

  1. identifying and cultivating major donors and prospects to provide naming gifts for the new building;
  2. updating new library website to reflect naming gifts received;
  3. planning alumni events in key cities to garner support for the new building;
  4. applying for grant funding to support this important project for Temple;
  5. sending announcements about the new library to Libraries’ donors and prospects; and
  6. planning new strategies to raise naming dollars including lower levels of $10,000 and above.

-Publication and dissemination of Libraries’ first-ever print and digital annual report in the Fall of 2017

-4 new proposals of $50,000 or more were in development, pending, or funded. These include:

Luis González Del Valle (in-kind gift ask amount $50,000 and funded at $270,000 in December of 2017);

The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation (ask amount $1 million and funded at $1 million, December 2017);

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (declined $500,000 ask); and the Mclean Contributionship ($200,000 ask, funded at $150,000 in December of 2017.)