In order to become a school, the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy must raise $40 million within three years. So far, they're on schedule.
After careful deliberations by a University task force, which produced a 117-page report, the institute received administrative approval last spring to pursue its probable transformation into an independent school.
Creating a new development office and rethinking the Institute's role within the University and the community have been important steps in the fundraising process, said Bruce Kuniholm, director of the Sanford Institute.
"We're making very good progress," he said. "We're on target to achieve our goal."
Although the long-term fundraising target is $65 million, raising $40 million over the course of three years is the "interim goal," Kuniholm explained.
University administrators set the amount as a prerequisite for the Institute's planned transition to becoming a school.
To reach this level of giving-a roughly 50 percent expansion to its current endowment-the institute hired its first director of development, Robert Wright, in February.
Wright, who was formerly senior major gifts director for Arts and Sciences Development, has been working together with Kuniholm to raise funds across the country since February.
"We're in the silent phase, so... we're not announcing specifics right now," Wright said. He noted, however, that members of the Sanford Institute's Board of Visitors and other long-time supporters have already made significant pledges.
Major fundraising missions include raising money dedicated to hiring new faculty and supporting financial aid, Kuniholm said.
Appealing for major donations has required some rethinking of the institute's role within the University, he added.
For example, the institute has been exploring ways to expand connections with other parts of the University, such as the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.
"We're coming up with ideas that are much broader than the things we've been doing in the past," Kuniholm said.
Officials have also created a preliminary "white paper" on the institute's new vision, which its Board of Visitors will consider next month.
The development strategy may also involve improvements to positioning and branding, Wright said. He added that his office already includes two additional staff members.
Peter Vaughn, executive director of alumni and development communications, said creating a development office in response to a funding need is not unusual.
Although they collaborate on fundraising efforts, several institutes and offices within the University have independent development arms. Individual entities decide if and when to employ their own fundraisers.
"[The decision depends on] whether they think it's worth carving out a portion of their own budgets for fundraising," Vaughn said. "Each entity at Duke is responsible to a great extent for its own budget."
Kuniholm says he is confident the new development office and the other steps the institute has taken will be successful in raising the money needed to become a school.
"We also have the support of the Academic Council, the University administration-which has been terrific-and ultimately, the Board of Trustees," Kuniholm said.
"It will happen," he added.
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