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Established in 1975 to challenge the growing censorship in academic settings, the Student Press Law Center provides pro bono legal counsel pertaining to First Amendment rights to student journalists and their advisors. It also serves by educating students on their rights to have access to information as well as a voice in their community.
Traditionally, SPLC looked to journalism educators and journalism groups for financial support. Wanting to broaden its base of charitable donors to others interested in First Amendment issues, the Board of Directors decided to strengthen its fundraising program. To determine how best to accomplish this goal the SPLC turned to Smith Beers Yunker.
While the Center had done some fundraising over the years, there was no concerted development program. Smith Beers Yunker developed an annual fund plan featuring The First Amendment Fund, coached Board and staff in effective fundraising mechanics and provided interim management of the new development office. “It was clear that Smith Beers Yunker understood what we were trying to preserve,” says Mark Goodman, executive director. “They had a clear picture from the start. They helped us think bigger than we had done before. They were very good at walking us through the process. They would say, here’s what we think the next step should be and why. It was a very collaborative process. I felt like I was part of it—probably more than I was.”
“Communication was so easy with all of the Smith Beers Yunker team. They were good about asking questions and getting clarification—but they weren’t a drain on my time either. They knew when to take the initiative and when not to. They put the materials together in a way that was easy for prospective donors to understand. And I never read anything written by them that wasn’t high quality—and I’m a picky editor.”
David Adams, a professor of communications at Hawaii Pacific University who heads the SPLC Finance Committee, was involved in the initial discussions that brought SBY on board. “We met face-to-face initially,” he says. “Then they stayed in close touch by email and phone. Distance was no problem. Becky Sittason and Jody Ader, in particular, were excellent at staying in contact with us as they managed our first annual campaign. And Jim Yunker provided excellent training for the board. It was a delight to work with them. They got us to the point where we now know that the Student Press Law Center will be around for a long time.”
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