Uses a ballooning analogy to offer nine suggestions for universities conducting major fund-raising campaigns: study the map and choose a direction; test the prevailing winds; choose and train your crew; gear up for the journey; stay on course; make every bit count; change course as needed; and capitalize on your successful landing. (DB)

Four articles on direct mail include "On Target"; "Writing Better Letters" (Conrad Squires); "Divide and Conquer" (Lee Royce); and "Fifty Ways to Increase Your Response Rate" (Judy Myers). (MLW)

The University of Illinois used teleconferencing to ignite volunteers and leaders for a five-year capital campaign. The program was live with two-way audio communications from meeting sites back to the main studio. Suggestions for planning and organizing a teleconference are presented. (MLW)

Conventional wisdom says that young alumni do not give, but evidence suggests that this is not true. The young alumni at Iowa State University, however, constitute the largest group of donors. Factors that are encouraging young people to give are described. (MLW)

Graceland College is taking a sales approach to deferred giving. Their products include annuities, trusts, life insurance, bequests--all the deferred giving plans that offer big benefits to donors and long-term financial benefit to the college. Benefits are emphasized through a written illustration of the proposed deferred gift. (MLW)

Provides advice to small alumni offices on how to manage alumni relations and the annual fund campaign, noting that small offices need to develop a flexible attitude, consider the benefits of performing both tasks, work with people they can count on, manage their time carefully, and balance both activities. (MDM)

Oberlin College's alumni association group for gay and lesbian alumni provides a case study in setting up new affiliates. Comprehensive and practical guidelines that any interested alumni group can follow are needed. Groups that develop around sensitive issues raise the toughest questions for alumni administrators. (MLW)

To raise money for endowment, there needs to be a mix of strong leadership, solid fund-raising technique, and confidence-inspiring endowment fund management. These ingredients have helped Berea College increase its endowment to more than $100 million. (MLW)

Ways to fund a publications office and the merits of charge-back systems are discussed. Every charge-back system differs. Some offices try to cover costs; others bill for overhead. Some alternatives to charging are described. (MLW)

The most recent tax law creates stiffer rules forcing donors to document their charitable gifts in exchange for offering charities relief from the 1986 Alternative Minimum Tax law. For colleges and universities, who already follow relatively stringent receipt rules, the new regulation is a free and valuable benefit. (MSE)

A $26 million Sesquicentennial Campaign at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, is described. The campaign was divided into three 18-month phases designed to push the campaign forward while inspiring confidence among trustees, alumnae, and other important leaders: setting the goal, redeploying forces, and soliciting the "Final…

Guidelines for managing fund-raising programs are presented including: recognize variability of costs, understand salaries as major cost, compare institution only with its peers, manage volunteers well, allocate enough resources for the long-range development of young alumni and planned giving, pursue endowment gifts, etc. (MLW)

A comprehensive study of Stanford University giving capacity of alumni and friends is described. The mission was to identify new donor prospects and to review perceptions of the people already identified. Some 1,200 new volunteers were involved. (MLW)

A program that sent a fund-raising videotape to 1,500 University of Richmond alumni is described. Research had turned up affluent alumni in areas too remote for personal calls or visits by the presidents. The program was a success and proved cost-effective. (MLW)

The annual Comparative Performance Study of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) contains data on the endowments of 223 colleges and universities. It can help answer many donor questions. (MLW)