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Oregon State University Department of Athletics has partnered with Pursuant Sports to double their donor base in two years using a strategic and innovative approach to athletic fundraising.

DALLAS, Aug. 30 Pursuant Sports, a leader in fundraising and online media solutions, and Oregon State University (OSU) Department of Athletics recently announced their partnership on a strategic development campaign to significantly augment financial support of the school’s athletic program. The initiative, called “12,000 by 2012,” seeks to double OSU Athletics’ current donor base by supplementing game ticket sales with philanthropic fundraising based on the overall value of the OSU student-athlete experience.

“Traditional athletic fundraising is based on ticket sales and parking spaces, but that approach has its limitations,” says Bill Paulk, vice president at Pursuant Sports. “If you want to increase donor support, you have to break out of the constraints placed by the size of the stadium or the number of fans who come to games.” Pursuant Sports consults with collegiate athletics, charitable sports foundations, and professional and amateur organizations, and is part of the Pursuant Group, a full-service fundraising and communications consulting firm.

To accomplish the campaign’s goals, OSU Athletics will reach more broadly into their current fan base and the university’s alumni network to enlist donors interested in supporting the mission and values of the athletic program.

“We have a program called Everyday Champions that is designed to develop our student-athletes so they are well prepared for the personal and professional challenges they will face throughout their lives,” explains Todd Stansbury, executive senior associate athletic director at OSU. “Athletics is an educational vehicle that allows us to push young people beyond their own expectations. At OSU, we purposefully train our student-athletes in leadership and the importance of community service, and help them develop transferable skills that can be applied beyond graduation. People are excited about OSU athletics, but even after we’ve won the game, our teams are in the community, serving others and preparing to lead the next generation.”

The significance of OSU Athletics’ fundraising vision is that the donor proposition will strategically expand beyond the game day experience—a short-term investment—to a long-term investment in the stability of the athletics program as a whole. The result will be increased revenue through new donors without having to increase the number of tickets sold.

“There is an entirely untapped donor group of people who don’t live close enough to become season ticket holders,” says Robin Blakeley, president of Pursuant Sports. “By presenting the value of a student-athlete as worthy of investment, OSU Athletics can significantly enrich their fundraising program and expand their support beyond that small radius of ticket buyers.”

After working successfully with Pursuant Sports to develop virtual media guides to attract potential student-athletes, OSU chose to tap into the Pursuant Group’s wide-reaching expertise in fundraising. For the “12,000 by 2012″ initiative, Pursuant Sports will develop the campaign’s website and multimedia messages while providing strategic direction for the campaign.

“Everyone in athletics fundraising is looking to expand their base, and we believe this is how it can be done,” says Stansbury. “We chose to work with Pursuant Sports because they are experts at fundraising, and they have the technical and multimedia knowledge to tell our story and reach our fan base. Aside from the really impressive media work, they are the right company for such a significant campaign.”

About The Pursuant Group

The Pursuant Group is a family of companies all with one common purpose: serving nonprofits and helping them achieve their greatest potential. These companies include Pursuant Agency, Ketchum Fundraising Services, RSI Church Stewardship and Pursuant Sports. Pursuant is a full-service fundraising and marketing communications organization that serves our nonprofit clients across the entire donor pyramid. From social media constituent outreach through capital campaign counsel, we’ve served more than 20,000 organizations and helped our clients raise over $20 billion in capital campaigns, managed major giving services, and interactive fundraising campaigns.

Based in Dallas, The Pursuant Group has more than 130 employees and continues to grow upon its reputation as the premier fundraising consultancy. Founded in 2001, Pursuant is still true to its roots as an innovative agency that leverages the Internet, rich media and donor data to create high-impact campaigns. Over the years, Pursuant’s services have expanded to include direct response fundraising, branding and positioning, emerging media and comprehensive fundraising counsel. Through a relentless pursuit of innovation in the fundraising world coupled with key acquisitions, The Pursuant Group is uniquely positioned among fundraising agencies and consultancies to serve a variety of needs across the entire donor spectrum