With the advent
of advanced computation and “big data”, metrics to measure fundraising
activities are prevalent throughout all types of organizations. When it
comes to measuring the effectiveness of a gift planning program, what are the
best measures? When it comes to measuring the effectiveness of blended gifts,
what are the best measures? Although not all “planned” gifts are
deferred, much of the work of individual gift planners will pay off in the
future—often after the original fundraiser has left the organization and the
donor relationship and stewardship of the commitment have changed hands,
perhaps several times. CGP's Metrics Task Force is examining best approaches to
setting goals and measuring performance for fundraisers charged with developing
blended gifts, bequests, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, and
other gifts that have a future impact on the bottom line. In this session, task
force chair Joe Bull reports on connections between metrics and fundraising
success.
Joseph O. Bull is executive director of gift planning at Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to this appointment, he served as senior vice president for community engagement at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and as senior philanthropy officer for global priorities for the worldwide office of The Nature Conservancy. Bull also provided 16 years of service to his alma mater, The Ohio State University, primarily as director of planned giving. With 32 years of experience in the philanthropic arena, he began his career as assistant director of planned giving at Duke University and as director of gift planning and assistant university counsel at North Carolina State University. He was the 2005 chair of the board of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (a 10,000-member professional association) and is currently a member of the board of directors of the American Council on Gift Annuities. Additionally, he was a member of the editorial advisory board for the national newsletter Planned Giving Today for 15 years as well as a member of the editorial board of the web-based Planned Giving Design Center. Bull has served as a faculty member for the College of William and Mary's National Planned Giving Institute, and he is past president of the Central Ohio and North Carolina Planned Giving Councils. He is admitted to the Ohio and North Carolina bars.