In 2002, Blair Academy, an independent secondary boarding school in rural northern New Jersey, had three key initiatives in mind when considering a $50 million capital campaign:  strengthen the student experience with a new activity and athletics center; increase endowment for faculty aid and scholarship support; and build its annual fund.  Blair turned to Grenzebach Glier and Associates for counsel on campaign feasibility, goal setting, and prospective donor identification and to serve as a strategic partner throughout the campaign.

GG+A worked closely with Blair’s development team to examine the school’s unique qualities and campaign readiness.  Together, Blair and GG+A analyzed staffing and organization priorities, outlined the initiatives that would serve as the core of the campaign, developed a campaign operating plan, and focused attention on major gift strategies and the annual giving program.  An analysis of the Blair donor database using GG+A’s Donorscape™ enabled staff to prioritize donors and develop a clearer picture of their propensity and ability to support the campaign. Alumni participation has increased from 20 to 32 percent since the start of the campaign.  

In September 2007 the chairman of Blair’s board of trustees announced that more than $31 million in gifts and pledges had been raised, and to date the campaign has raised $42.5 million.  The school looks forward to the successful close of Ever Always: The Campaign for Blair Academy in June 2009.  New outdoor and indoor facilities on the Blair campus and continued growth of the endowment are among the campaign’s greatest achievements.  With this solid foundation in place, Blair Academy is poised and ready to expand its ongoing philanthropic activities and to engage even greater numbers of alumni in the years to come.