Page 5 - Thetha Issue 6

FUNDRAISING

The new institutional Giving to Mandela donation page “It’s not just about cutting costs and raising money,”
allows donors to choose within a category of projects from says Dr Webb. “It is also a chance to promote the flagship
a drop-down menu of approved institutional fundraising academic and engagement programmes and other priority
projects. It also allows both once-off and recurring initiatives which call for stakeholder support.
donations. “To date, the implementation of an effective alumni
There are also links to faculty or department sites with giving campaign and international resource mobilisation
access to the donation platform. This will offer donors have been hampered by the lack of appropriate
multiple opportunities for project exposure. institutional mechanisms to promote these, and to process
“First-year students arrive with stars in their eyes and the mobilised funds.”
a suitcase full of dreams,” says Dr Ossie Franks. He offers That will now change, and helping a student to reach
Special Projects Support to the University’s Strategic for the stars is only one avenue for donors to make a
Resource Mobilisation and Advancement (SRMA) office, a difference. The new fundraising platforms will also offer
key driver of the new international platform. channels to support the ground-breaking new Medical
Dr Franks has seen all School and Health Sciences hub
too many student dreams on the Missionvale Campus, as
of obtaining a qualification You can make a difference well as the pioneering Ocean
and improving their families’ Sciences drive towards a
lives replaced by worry and Major gifts or legacy donations are welcome, “blue economy”.
anxiety because they cannot but the idea with these new platforms is to reach There is also the chance
afford registration fees, or out to graduates who may just wish to plough to contribute to social justice
cannot graduate due to unpaid back relatively modest amounts on a recurring through the University’s Hubs
student debt. basis. of Convergence transformative
However, he says that The Nelson Mandela University “My engagement. Donors can
donors do not need to be Contribution” Alumni Fund is an important make a difference to the Zwide
extremely rich to make a component of the package of possible projects Community Development
difference. to support, as it is a discretionary fund to support Project, for example, take
“International research University and Alumni Association programmes. action against gender-based
has shown that small recurring Regular or once-off donations from violence, or support a sewing
donors can become major gift alumni and friends of the University project run in collaboration
donors if properly stewarded. will go towards developing learning, teaching, with Manyano Schools and the
Thus, the long-term impact research and engagement programmes to Association for People with
of this initiative can be ensure excellence as a leading African university. Physical Disabilities.
massive,” he says. As Dr Webb explains,
Nelson Mandela University the new systems “provide an
does, of course, offer financial assistance in the form of opportunity to promote resource mobilisation initiatives
bursaries, merit awards, Vice-Chancellor’s scholarships, across the institution, align with best practice in the
and study loans. However, with the national economy higher education sector, promote efficiencies, integrate
squeezed more than ever due to the pandemic, our resource mobilisation activities, and ensure we
universities are struggling to meet the demand for have systems and processes in place that support our
financial assistance. sustainability imperative.”
There is also a need to mobilise resources for university It has been a team effort, with colleagues in ICT,
priorities like research and engagement. Engagement Communications and Marketing, Finance and Legal
functions, in particular, need appropriate resourcing, as Services working alongside key stakeholders such as the
these generally do not enjoy government funding. Alumni Association and Deanery.

In service of society E To find out more regarding the institutional
SRMA Senior Director Dr Denver Webb points out that projects, contact Dr Denver Webb,
denver.webb@mandela.ac.za
Nelson Mandela University’s strategic positioning as an
embedded university in the service of society has meant Contact Paul Geswindt for the Alumni My
that innovative ways of resourcing current priorities and Contribution Fund, paul.geswindt@mandela.ac.za
future sustainability need to be found. Give to Nelson Mandela University:
mandela.ac.za/giving-to-mandela-university

2022 | mandela.ac.za | 5