Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN

May 18, 2016

“When I came on board in 2002, there was some administrative transition. I wanted to put some emphasis on our development efforts and pay more attention to our growth in that area. We had a good development department in place, but the university was relatively new in its efforts at nurturing and providing support for its development activities.”

Those are the words of Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, the tenth President of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His early tenure was highlighted by a heightened focus on MTSU’s fundraising activities and an increased emphasis on nurturing positive donor relationships. He called on The Covenant Group to assist the institution in their transition.

Dr. McPhee believes that the transition was significant, and that The Covenant Group’s involvement was essential in keeping momentum. “I made some organizational changes and decided that we needed new leadership in our development area. So, one of the first things I asked The Covenant Group to do was a development audit. During this process, Dr. Bill Rothwell of The Covenant Group really became a senior advisor to me. His expertise and energy helped MTSU in a number of ways. He got involved, he was enthusiastic, he got to know the people in our community – he became part of the university fabric quite quickly.”

The Covenant Group served in an advisory role for over nine months. During this time we conducted a development audit, created a communications piece entitled “Creating an Endowment,” oversaw various day-to-day activities within the development department and assisted in identifying, screening and interviewing the new Vice President of Development.

“I was particularly interested in not losing ground during this important time. Not only did The Covenant Group provide general support and advice, I can point to that specific outcome in terms of dollars. Dr. Rothwell was instrumental in developing the conceptual paper which led directly to a $1.7 million gift to our Nursing School.”

Dr. McPhee summarized his thoughts. “I really have no suggestions on what they could have done to improve their service to our university. A lasting result of their involvement has been the more focused nature of our donor relationships. We can now interact with our donors and more clearly articulate the needs of the university, and that has strengthened our development efforts considerably.”

“I really support The Covenant Group’s strategic planning process because their approach encourages staff-based support with board buy-in, and I felt that was important given what we were trying to achieve. The outcome is an effective plan that builds consensus and provides a clear sense of direction.”
- Jennifer Scott, Director of Development - The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

“The Covenant Group is highly competent, very experienced and knowledgeable. They provided a broad perspective by equipping us with useful data…and best practices in the field. All in all, they are excellent.”
- Dan Jones, CEO - 21st Century Parks

“The campaign has truly been a miracle. People were committed from the beginning, but…even raising $650,000 seemed like a stretch. To nearly double that amount is incredible! When the plan they developed allows you to hit a goal like that, it builds such a sense of community. The momentum built by the campaign is spilling outside the walls of our church and benefiting others in the process.”
-Father John Hollowell - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

“For those of us who don’t do this everyday, The Covenant Group instilled confidence in us. They helped us get through the fear and apprehension by providing us with a process, training and motivation. They taught us and helped us plan in a way that was for the better. We have built lasting relationships with donors and we will continue to steward these relationships long into the future.”
- Sue Finke, Director of Institutional Advancement - Covington Catholic High School

“No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results. People stand around talking more than they did before the campaign. There is also a renewed and energized spirit among the parishioners. It’s the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
- Gary Libs, Campaign Co-Chair - St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church

“The Covenant Group’s process involved a lot of people in our congregation doing small tasks … that built ownership. They took our vision and put it into a concrete plan. They helped us understand the importance of making our vision clear and laid out the steps to make the vision a reality. Their process built consensus and showed people how they could help. Their methods are based on a solid theological foundation that includes key documents, prayer support, and requisite training … all of which were invaluable.”
- Daniel Montgomery, Pastor - Sojourn Community Church

“Everything The Covenant Group did to help us…in the initial stages was helpful…the development of the case statement; our materials; the training of our Board members; strategies; all these steps laid the foundation for eventual success. They brought such a high level of professionalism, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of integrity and success… just being associated with The Covenant Group helped us.”
- Nancy Doctor, Development Director - Wellspring

“The structure The Covenant Group provided was excellent. It allowed our members to use their God-given talents to benefit the church community They helped us develop a plan and identify key leadership candidates to chair the effort, as well as engaging between 80 to 100 people to carry out the work of the campaign. It was truly a whole congregation effort and The Covenant Group helped facilitate that. They helped us reach our full potential as a congregation.”
- Ron Poisel, Pastor - Christ Lutheran Church

Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN

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