Designing your Naming Opportunities
- Craig Clemons
- Oct 9, 2023
- 2 min read
An important element when designing the successful Project, Endowment or Capital Campaign (typically in the $1M to $300M range), is the NAMING OPPORTUNITIES. Also known as Naming Rights, the Clemons-Associates team has designed NAMING OPPORTUNITIES for most, if not all, of our last 35+ clients.
PURPOSE
Naming Opportunities are an excellent tool to a) help educate prospective donors; b) inspire prospective donors; c) align and/or 'up sell' a contribution to be associated with a key Naming Opportunities; d) professionally recognize and express sincere appreciation to valued donors.
DESIGN APPROACHES:
Associate Naming Opportunity $ with space SIZE (sq. ft.)
Associate Naming Opportunity $ with space prominence/visibility
Associate Naming Opportunity $ with important history of organization
Associate Naming Opportunity $ with a 'themed' space (e.g. Starbucks names a Coffee Bar within a break room/cafeteria for a $10,000 gift)
Associate Naming Opportunity $ with the full scope of the campaign (e.g., try to have all Naming Opportunities add up to TOTAL of campaign goal (e.g., $10,000,000 Campaign would have roughly $10,000,000 in various/tiered spaces to be named for associated gifts of varied amounts...)
Bonus: A great idea is to have the full list of Naming Opportunities discussed, vetted and agreed upon between staff, campaign consultant and facility architect/designer before presenting to Board/Committee for final approval and implementation.
USES / APPLICATIONS
Mention/Highlight the multiple Naming Opportunities in FOLDERING SYSTEM
Mention/Highlight the multiple Naming Opportunities in FLY-THRU VIDEO
Mention/Highlight the multiple Naming Opportunities in .PPT Presentation
Mention/Highlight the multiple Naming Opportunities at HOUSE PARTIES
Feature Naming Opportunities in a landing page on dedicated website
Feature Naming Opportunities on blogs, e-newsletter
Align Naming Opportunities with prospective corporations in your community; assign Campaign Committee volunteers to make an ASK with a space in mind
Feature a NEW DONOR on your digital assets and PR platforms once a philanthropist, corporation or family foundation names a specific space
IMPERATIVES:
Ensure the terms of the gift and corresponding Naming Opportunity are 'contracted' in a GIFT AGREEMENT
Ensure your organization sends out an invoice or 'payment reminder' 30-60 days before it's due
Ensure your system can accept/denote multi-year pledges
Ensure your Board/Committee understands the difference between AMOUNT PLEDGED, AMOUNT RECEIVED and AMOUNT OWED (balance of gift)
Ensure your team is updating ALL collateral in a timely manner to ensure the marketplace knows which NAMING OPPORTUNITIES have been spoken for - see below example.
Bottom line: NAMING OPPORTUNITIES are a great way to help your staff, Board, Committee Members and volunteers understand the scope and scale of the campaign. And, more importantly, NAMING OPPORTUNITIES can augment the campaign's case for support relative to new facilities, beautiful new spaces, expanded services and difference-making resources.
If soliciting a prospective donor, make sure NAMING OPPORTUNITIES is tucked into your strategic message helping to communicate the organization's physical state-of-the-union...and where the organizational is headed with respective funding from generous donors.
Craig Clemons with Friend, Philanthropist and President/Founder/Board Chairman of Express Employment Professionals, Bob Funk, Sr.
Seeking expert assistance from seasoned professionals?
Contact Craig Clemons at craig@clemons-associates.com or one of our rock star associates for more details. Clemons & Associates is on standby to help you with brand identity, strategic messaging, campaigns, digital assets and programs/projects.