Van Tuil 1

Kaitlyn Van Tuil

Professor Flaherty

ENG 3020

10 April 2017

WSU HIGH Program: Alternative Effective Funding Strategies

1. Introduction:

A common issue haltering non-profit organizations from meeting the

criteria of their respective mission statements and reaching their

organizations goals is the lack of an adequate source of funding. Whether

through donations, grants or investments, there is a limit to the amount of

resources available to contribute to charitable organizations. Wayne State

Universitys HIGH (Helping Individuals Go Higher) Program faces the same

troubles of a non-profit organization on a daily basis, with the pressure of

obtaining funds looming over the staffs shoulders consistently. With their

overall goal of assisting any and all Wayne State University students

struggling with financial burdens in order to alleviate the pressure of

obtaining a degree (HIGH Program), funding will always be a struggle for the

organization.

The HIGH Program relies on funding from philanthropic individuals and

only a small number of fundraising events, such as bake sales, that take

place throughout the academic year (Bismack). Recently, the HIGH Program
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even adopted telemarketing strategies to generate more funds from wealthy

individuals residing in the ten most philanthropic cities in the United States.

However, in order to contend with the increasing cost of receiving a college

education, more efficient sources of funding need to be identified and

allocated. Considering that the almost half of undergraduate students

receive Pell grants from federal aid (HIGH Program), which is offered to low-

income students, there are many undergraduates that require financial

assistance. The underlying question for research becomes: what funding

strategies can the HIGH Program adopt to better suit their needs and achieve

their mission statement?

2. Research Proposal:

Considering that the HIGH Program has a necessity to address the

issues of generating funds for the organization in order to achieve its goals

and assist its audience, I am looking to propose a new fundraising idea to the

HIGH Programs First Lady and financial management. First, before even

drafting a proposal for such an event, primary and secondary research

should be collected for background knowledge. My primary research will be

conducted in the form of conversing with several of the HIGH Programs staff

including the other volunteers, executive assistant, and the First Lady when

applicable. From these conversations, I hope to grasp a deeper

understanding of the HIGH Programs goals and struggles. Then, secondary

research will be conducted online through Wayne State Universitys literary

databases in order to find more relevant information that could help the
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organization gain more insight on fundraising opportunities as well as

information that will support my proposal.

Once the background research has been finalized and cemented into a

concrete literature review, a new source of fundraising should be

conceptualized. Again, with subject to change, I propose the idea of a sort of

jog-a-thon sometime during the later part of the Winter semester to promote

student health, activity, and stress relief, all of which can later become

issues when students are placed under stressful situations such as cramming

for midterm exams. The goal of such an event is to foster closer relationships

between Wayne State students and the HIGH Program. The weight of

burdens associated with financial and housing issues along with the

challenges of school already faced by a relatively normal college student

can be stressful to undergraduates and graduates alike that are less

fortunate. By collaborating with the community on the jog-a-thon, a more

personal experience between the HIGH Program and troubled students is

sought to be created in order to assist with their mental health.

The jog-a-thon will take place at Wayne State Universitys stadium,

renting out the use of the track. The event would be hosted throughout the

day, ideally between the times of 10am-6pm. Key features of the event

would be, of course, acquiring the participation of Wayne State students, as

well as bringing in keynote speakers that can address many of the issues

that the HIGH Program wishes to assist with including college homelessness,

financial burdens, mental health, and more. Speakers could include

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professors, graduate students, or perhaps even those that wish to share their

own stories of how they have overcome college struggles. In order to acquire

funds for the event, aside from using the HIGH Programs own resources,

local businesses around the metropolitan Detroit area can sponsor the jog-a-

thon. Through the collaboration with these small businesses and restaurants,

it is with hope that food and beverages will be gifted to the event; however,

if that is not the outcome, then the food and beverages will be paid for out of

the HIGH Programs finances if possible, depending on the financial status of

allowed outputs in the organization. A more thorough and specific

explanation of the jog-a-thon will be discussed in the Methodology section

later in the paper. Tying the proposal together, I am striving for a stronger

relationship between those in the community and the student body and the

HIGH Program that must be forged in order to increase networking

opportunities for both parties, as well as collaborate with potential donors for

the HIGH Program in the near future.

3. Literature Review:

The HIGH Program has multiple avenues that it can take to earn

sufficient funds; however, determining which method will be the most

beneficial to the organization, or at least guide the group in the right

direction, is a struggle. With the overall issue of receiving consistent funding

looming over the shoulders of the staff at the HIGH Program, extensive

primary and secondary research was conducted through an interview with

the executive assistant and online through Wayne State Universitys

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scholarly databases, respectively. Furthermore, an example of one of the

HIGH Programs fundraising events is also reviewed for the benefit of the

proposal.

Originally, direction of the generation of funds for the HIGH Program

was based around telemarketing to older, philanthropic individuals in the

United States top ten most charitable cities. Concerned with the

effectiveness of generating funds through random, non-affiliates of Wayne

State University, research began to revolve around the collaboration

between alumni and the HIGH Program. A study completed by Justin Ronca

and David Weerts suggests that alumni donors can offer a large role in fund

generation, as well as volunteer assistance. AUTHRO noted three key

findings of the study, stating that the most efficient alumni participants live

nearby the university, were engaged in extracurricular and time-consuming

activities outside of the standard college education, and are actively involved

within their civic duties currently (Ronca and Weerts, Par. 58). The core of the

essay directed nonprofits, specifically the HIGH Program in this case, to

establish relationships with current students enrolled at their respective

universities. Therefore, the intention of the research proposal was initially

directed towards gaining the cooperation of Wayne State Universitys alumni.

However, after a conversational exchange occurred between the executive

assistant of the First Lady at the HIGH Program and myself, the direction of

research quickly changed and focused towards a more beneficial and

practical region.
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I was granted the opportunity to speak with Mrs. Bismack, the

executive assistant to the First Lady and one of the key coordinators of the

HIGH Program to discuss the research project and background information

regarding funding the for the HIGH Program. When discussing possible areas

of research, I mentioned the concern behind telemarketing to people

uninvolved with Wayne State University. She had mentioned that only a

portion of the population on that particular list of possible donors were

affiliated with or knew people connected to the university. I expressed my

thought process regarding potentially addressing Wayne State alumni as a

possible target audience, but Mrs. Bismack says that the process dealing

with alumni is extremely complex and difficult, citing the philanthropic

directors involvement and known struggles (Bismack). Although it was

intended that Wayne State alumni were going to the initial target of my

research proposal, I instead brought up the idea of forging new relationships

with students around campus by promoting the HIGH Programs own annual

event. Mrs. Bismack stated that there are not necessarily any concrete

fundraisers that take place regularly for the HIGH Program. She made

mention of The Baroudeur, where proceeds go towards the HIGH Programs

cause; however, beyond this event, only small bake sales or information

booths are sporadically set up throughout the year. Understanding that there

may be more opportunities available to fundraise, Mrs. Bismack concluded

the conversation by approving my brainstorming of fundraising ideas and

research that may be shown to the First Lady after the research proposal is
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more concrete. The interview was vital to understanding the financial

background of the HIGH Program and heeded way to research the local event

annually taking place on campus (Bismack).

To understand how an event like a jog-a-thon can be managed and

help the HIGH Program in achieving its efforts, The Baroudeur was

reviewed. The Baroudeur is Wayne State Universitys biking event that

occurs annually, where all funds are donated directly to the HIGH Program

and later set aside for scholarships for students in need associated with the

organization. The entrance fee ranging $50-$70 depending on the date

registered and covers the cyclists lunch, beverages, limited edition T-shirts,

and parking among amenities; additionally, any additional profit is drawn

directly into the HIGH Programs scholarship fund for its students (The

Baroudeur). The event draws many community members and university

students to participate in an all-day activity that promotes healthy exercise

and assisting fellow peers working towards an education. While all proceeds

go towards the HIGH Program, it is not an event directly sponsored by the

organization. Therefore, the proposed jog-a-thon promotes a similar interest

in mind for the students during the spring time, where the HIGH Program can

be directly involved with the participants of the event.

In order to connect the emotion behind the jog-a-thon to the

participants, it was discussed to possibly recruit the assistance of keynote

speakers. The HIGH Program notes in one of their brochures that around

58,158 incoming college freshmen indicated that they were homeless or

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experiencing homelessness during the 2012-2013 school year on FAFSA

forms (HIGH Program). An article from the Morning Edition, a newspaper

from Washington, D.C., articulates the struggle of college students that are

chronically homeless, citing that a student rotated between sleeping at the

local library, couches of friends, and their colleges Student Activities Center

(Gonyea, Par. 10). To simply touch on these seemingly common but unspoken

battles regarding homelessness could gain the attention of those in need as

well as those who wish to dedicate their time to a charitable cause such as

the HIGH Programs.

Upon reviewing several sources ranging from scholarly articles to direct

primary research, the idea of the HIGH Program hosting an event like a jog-a-

thon could potentially be effective for the organization to reach out to the

community and achieve its mission statement. Furthermore, it is also with

hope that by providing such an event to the community, previous findings in

the research can also be explored, such as the collaboration between alumni,

building the relationships between students, and perhaps opening new

opportunities past the jog-a-thon to generate funds that would provide the

organization sufficient income. The process is further articulated in the

Methodology section, where specifics of the jog-a-thon are more apparent

and clear for the HIGH Program to visualize.

4. Methodology:
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In order to have a steady income and more efficiently accomplish their

goals, the HIGH Program should develop new, consistent methods of

fundraising. The organization should implement a new fundraising event into

their annual schedule that at least somewhat connects to the purpose of the

organization. A jog-a-thon of sorts advocating for student health and stress

release could potentially fit the agenda. The jog-a-thon could be scheduled

during the Winter semester when the weather becomes warmer, particularly

around two weeks before midterm or final exams. The targeted participants

primarily revolve around university students and keynote speakers such as

professors or graduate students. The event can be advertised via flyers,

social media, and physical representation at other campus events, all of

which would be the responsibilities of the marketing/public relations sector of

the organization. Then, the HIGH Program can attempt to locate possible

sponsors for the event that may be willing to cater food or water, particularly

local small businesses. Lastly, the focus turns to how funds can be

adequately generated for the event.

Luckily, there are many avenues the HIGH Program can indulge in to

make a profit for its students. Those avenues include but are not limited to:

1. a $15-20 participation fee

2. selling event-specific T-shirts or other merchandise
3. runners that may be sponsored by family or employers
4. refreshments and quick sources of energy/food, and
5. reverting back to original method and asking for any further

donations (Fundraising).
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In terms of location of the event, the HIGH Programs best option would be to

rent the track of the Wayne State football stadium and use that as a base of

operations. It is within walking distance from the Wayne States campus and

will be easily identifiable for the participants to find.

After the completion of the event, a short questionnaire will be handed

out to participants and coordinators alike to determine how successful the

event was to the individual. Several questions will be asked in the survey

using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being least satisfied to 5 being the most

satisfied, or less likely and most likely, respectively. Examples of such

questions will include but are not limited to:

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you to participate in the event

again?
2. On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you to reference the event to

friends and/or family members to participate?

3. On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the participation

of the keynote speakers?

4. On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the entry fee of

the jog-a-thon?

By using a numerical scale such as this, the HIGH Program can better

understand the average emotions of those involved with the event.

Furthermore, staff members coordinating the event should attempt to make

note of any further comments made by participants to gain direct dialogue

from those involved.

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Through proposing an event such as a jog-a-thon to the HIGH Program,

the organization calls upon collaboration with the community and the

fostering of student to staff and organizational relationships in order to

further advance the HIGH Program to achieve its mission statement, as well

as reach out to a broader audience for further funding opportunities.

Considering that the HIGH Program does not regularly showcase large events

to the extent of the proposed plan, it is intended that the jog-a-thon proposal

will be the guiding step to influence the HIGH Program to take larger

opportunities to showcase the organization to the community in order to

benefit the group and the universitys students, as well as potentially receive

larger donations. Nonetheless, by using these steps as a guideline for the

planning of the event, I am confident that the HIGH Program can turn a profit

for its students at Wayne State University while advocating for its students

and their health prior to exams. The event could be marketed as a healthy

alternative to destress, work out, and socialize with peers, all the while

allowing the HIGH Program to work towards their goal of helping the

universitys students.

5. Discussion:

The concept of proposing such an event like the jog-a-thon lies with the

ability to express the HIGH Programs potential at earning community

support and fundraising on a larger scale. By extending past bake sales or

informational stands at club fairs, the HIGH Program can reach a much larger

audience and, possibly, help additional students feel more confident in

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seeking out help from the program. With the underlying goal of reaching out

and assisting students in need, sponsoring and being directly involved in

such an event as a jog-a-thon can potentially increase the organizations

efficiency in reaching that particular mission. If planned out, marketed, and

managed accordingly, the event should live up to the success of The

Baroudeur, on the off-season.

There are, of course, limitations and problem areas with the current

proposed topics currently. In regards to the jog-a-thon, one limitation would

be concerning the scope of the audience reached and following through with

participating in the event. It will be the marketing departments task to reach

out to the community in order to promote the benefits of being involved in

the event as well as pursuing interest with the HIGH Program and its mission.

Furthermore, while the main purpose that will be marketed to the audience

will be to release stress and practice healthier habits during times of anxiety

and tension, i.e. midterms or finals, the underlying goal will be to gain the

financial support of several community members and participants. After a

financial summary of the potential costs of the event has been drawn, it is

important to remember that at the end of the day, success will primarily

revolve around profit and advertisement. If there is not a net profit after the

completion of the event, then the HIGH Program must develop new

strategies and fundraising events that may lead to a higher chance of

succession.
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Similar to any science experiment, repetition and improving upon

results are the keys for the HIGH Program to become more efficient in

regards to reaching their goals. Repeating the general questionnaire offered

to the participants and coordinators of the event will help the HIGH Program

in understanding the effectiveness of the jog-a-thon, as well as determine if

the event is worth planning again or subject to new improvements. Financial

statements should also be prepared in regards to the costs and profits of

each category of transaction including entry ticket sales, food and beverage

costs, and any additional donations accepted by the HIGH Program. By

reviewing upon these documents prepared by whomever is in charge of the

HIGH Programs finances, a more specific decision can be made upon further

investment into the event.

In general, I feel that with the research regarding funding that was

collected, as well as the two aforementioned proposals to the HIGH Program

will both benefit the organization to, if anything, generate broader,

community-oriented events that will help set the tone for Wayne State

University and the group itself. The HIGH Program exists for the sole purpose

of helping students lacking the funds or proper housing to receive an

education; by offering such an event and expressing a desire to collaborate

with other organizations and local businesses around campus, the HIGH

Program can potentially affect more lives with a larger outreach. By using

this research proposal as a basis, I am confident in saying that the HIGH

Program will benefit in some way from the data collected whether the
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proposal is approved or not; and if it is not accepted, there are new

directions to explore that have been opened up via this research proposal

and I am confident that the HIGH Program will continue to be driven to

success.

Works Cited

Bismack, Laura. Wayne State University HIGH Program Funding Problems.

Personal interview.
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Communications, Wayne State University Web. "Baroudeur." Cycling event in

Detroit benefiting student scholarships - Wayne State University. Wayne

State University, 1 Jan. 2017. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.

Gonyea, Don. College Students Hide Hunger, Homelessness. Washington,

D.C.: NPR, 2010. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.

HIGH Program. Wayne State HIGH Program. Detroit: HIGH Program, 2014.

Print.

Weerts, David J., and Justin M. Ronca. Characteristics of Alumni Donors Who

Volunteer at their Alma Mater. Research in Higher Education 49.3 (2008):

274-92. ProQuest. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.

"Tips for Running a Marathon Fundraiser." Fundraising Letters, Checklists,

How Tos and Event Ideas. N.p., 09 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.