Hello everyone,

We are an independent school with an Annual Fund.  We obviously solicit our current parents as well as faculty and staff members, among other constituencies.  We have always used as part of our case to these two groups that the percentage of participation is an important and powerful statistic for our grant writer to include in her foundation proposals.  (Our grant writer just told me that she generally has to account for board giving more often than anything else, which is why I question this.)  I'm curious if others have actually found this to be true.  We are currently spending a good deal of time trying to increase participation even though we are fairly happy with the amount of money raised.

Thoughts, please!

 Thanks,

 Erin

Yes.  It's very helpful vis-a-vis grants from foundations when a school has 100 percent participation from parents, alumni, and faculty.