The Hunterian, University of Glasgow: Fundraising Feasibility Study

“Working with Philanthropy Company was a great success: it developed internal organisational clarity and identified clear requirements to secure future external support. Your work and the outcomes of the study really crystallise the opportunity that is available to the university and our communities. It’s been great working with you.”

Alexandra Broekema, Strategic Philanthropy Manager

Challenge

The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Glasgow is Scotland’s oldest public museum with collections spanning the arts, sciences and humanities. The Hunterian has a strong commitment to equity and justice and its approach is built on sharing social and cultural capital. Core to the work with Philanthropy Company was to assess readiness and potential to secure significant philanthropic funding as they considered the future direction of a major institutional project. The study identified the conditions necessary to unlock The Hunterian’s full potential as a major charitable proposition and tested the circumstances under which philanthropic support could be viable.

Response

Philanthropy Company delivered a clear, evidence-based feasibility study, enabled by a Scoping Project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to assess both the scale of opportunity and the organisation’s readiness for a future campaign. Through a detailed review of project documentation and external benchmarking, we tested internal assumptions against external realities and identified the factors for a credible and compelling fundraising proposition. We conducted interviews with senior internal stakeholders and a wide range of external stakeholders in Scotland and internationally, including alumni, donors and cultural sector leaders. The feasibility assessment examined the strength and distinctiveness of the Hunterian’s proposition, the University’s institutional commitment, donor appetite and perceptions of value and the overall readiness of the organisation to deliver a future campaign.  An additional strand of work was the development of a compelling case for support. Our analysis revealed that two interdependent cases were required: an internal institutional case to inform and secure internal prioritisation, and an external philanthropic case to inspire donor engagement. We provided two in-depth cases for support, ready to be used to engage key stakeholders.

Impact

The outcome was a concise, strategic set of recommendations that gave The Hunterian and the University of Glasgow a realistic picture of their current position, supporting internal decision-making and providing a clear pathway with next steps. Our work has offered clarity, focus, and a practical framework for donor engagement. The Hunterian now has a grounded understanding of what is required to move towards a future campaign, and a confident strategy for stewarding and cultivating supporters while internal decisions are finalised.