At the heart of the University of Auckland Campaign, “For All Our Futures,” were 136 questions, each a call to action to inspire and mobilize supporters to partner with us. The questions reflected the university’s areas of academic strength across many disciplines, combined with their high level of relevance for New Zealanders. Our questions included:
Can we…earthquake-proof New Zealand?
Can we…restore NZ’s unique natural environment?
Can we…redefine old age?
Can we…build an economy based on what we know, not just what we grow?
And many more.
Publicly launched in September 2016 with a target of $NZ300 million, the campaign closed on 31 October 2019, achieving $NZ380 million. It was the most successful fundraising campaign ever conducted in New Zealand. The campaign vision was to create a better world through the university’s research, innovation, and student initiatives. We identified the most pressing issues of the day and asked donors’ help to address them.
The Alumni Relations and Development office amped up its operation, introduced innovative technology, moved from being internally focused to firmly donor and alumni-centric, and launched a bold brand to inspire participation. The changes paid off, with five consecutive years of growth, each exceeding the previous year’s fundraising total. In total, 7,236 donors gave 23,592 gifts. The campaign produced lasting impact across multiple programs, shifted perceptions of the role of research universities in society, and redefined what was possible for fundraising in New Zealand.
