Circle Launch Proposal
Three Circles. Two Phases. Immediate Action.
🎯 Situation Overview
Stillman College is ready to go. Dr. Page is on board, three circles are identified, and the momentum is there.
This proposal delivers:
- 1️⃣Phase 1 gets you collecting interest immediately
- 2️⃣Phase 2 gives you a centralized system to manage everything
- ⚡Both work NOW, independently of the full CTG platform build
3
Circles
~1.5 wks
Phase 1
~2 wks
Phase 2
$6K-$8K
Total Investment
🎯The Three Circles
Circle 1: Omega Psi Phi Scholarship Endowment
Endow a scholarship by recruiting Omega Psi Phi alumni and supporters to close the remaining $17,000.
Circle 2: Bring Back Football Campaign
Rally former football players to fund the return of Stillman's football program. Campaign target to be defined with Stillman.
Circle 3: Class of 1977 Reunion Gift
The 50th reunion class returns to campus May 2027 for graduation. Bring them together for a collective gift that marks the milestone.
Circle Landing Pages
Get interest flowing in ~1.5 weeks
Three branded web pages - one for each circle
What Each Page Includes:
- 📝Description of the circle's purpose and goal
- ✨The Spelman success story as a credibility anchor
- 📋Contact form: name, email, phone, graduation year, affiliation
- 🎯Clear call to action
How It Works
You Share Links
Stillman Shares
Prospects Sign Up
Prospect Lists Built
📎 What You Need to Provide
- 📸Photos or images for each circle (campus, fraternity, football, reunion)
- ✅Confirmation on messaging and goal amounts
- 🛠️We handle everything else
Phase 1 Investment
$1,400 - $1,800
Depending on level of customization per page
Timeline
~1.5 Weeks
After circle details confirmed
Centralized Management Backend
OptionalStop managing circles in spreadsheets
CRM and automation platform
Once interest flows from landing pages, you need somewhere to put it. Phase 2 sets up a centralized management system so your team has one place to track every contact, conversation, and pledge across all three circles.
If you prefer spreadsheets or Stillman's existing system, Phase 1 works on its own. But for structure, automation, and a single source of truth — this is how you get it.
- ✓Every prospect who fills out a form automatically appears in the CRM
- ✓Tagged to the right circle with graduation year, affiliation, contact details
- ✓No manual data entry or copying from email notifications
- ✓Visual board showing every prospect's status
- ✓Stages: Not Contacted → Contacted → Interested → Committed → Declined
- ✓At a glance, know exactly where each circle stands
- ✓Every conversation and touchpoint attached to contact record
- ✓Know what was discussed and next steps when following up
- ✓Welcome email when someone expresses interest
- ✓Follow-up if no response in a week
- ✓Confirmation when they commit to a pledge
- ✓Reminders as payment dates approach
- ✓Donors receive payment link
- ✓Complete donation via credit card or ACH
- ✓Payment recorded against contact automatically
- ✓Receipts and confirmations handled through Stripe
- ✓Totals per circle: pledged, received, members
- ✓Conversion rates from interest to commitment
- ✓Backend reports for operational use
- ✓Stillman's admin gets their own CRM login
- ✓Monitor circle activity, view contacts, see payment status
- ✓Training included so they can be self-sufficient
⚠️ Things to Plan For
Backend Tool Only
Donors see only landing pages. No donor dashboards. All communication via automated emails.
Payment Processing Coordination
CTG processes payments on behalf of Stillman. Need transparent process for fund transfers - frequency, mechanism, reporting. Discuss with Dr. Page's team before enabling. Alternative: donors pay Stillman directly and you record fulfillment in the CRM.
School Staff Training
Basic training included. Additional hands-on support during first weeks can be arranged separately.
Monthly Subscription
The CRM runs on a $297/month platform subscription owned by Connect To Give.
Per-School Setup
Configuration is tailored to Stillman's three circles. Each new school requires its own setup engagement.
Phase 2 Investment
$4,500 - $6,500
One-time setup + customization
+ Monthly Subscription
$297/month
CRM platform (ongoing)
Timeline
~2 Weeks
⚖️CRM Setup vs Full CTG Platform
The CRM setup is a practical solution for right now. The full Connect To Give platform is the long-term product. They serve different purposes.
| Capability | CRM (Stillman) | Full CTG (Blackbaud) |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Management | Yes — in the CRM | Automated 2-way Blackbaud sync |
| Outreach Tracking | Pipelines and notes | + Automated prospect scoring |
| Donor Experience | Landing pages only | Personalized dashboard |
| Payments | Stripe via CTG | School's Blackbaud merchant |
| Progress Visibility | Internal reports | Real-time dashboards |
| Email Automation | Yes — sequences | + Pledge reminders, lifecycle |
| Prospect Intelligence | Manual | Automated wealth data scoring |
| CRM Integration | Standalone | Deep Blackbaud RE NXT |
| Multi-year Pledges | Custom fields | Automated installments |
| Institutional Reporting | CRM reports | Feeds school's system |
| Scalability | Custom per school | Streamlined onboarding |
Why a CRM for Stillman? The CRM approach is the right tool for a school like Stillman that isn't on Blackbaud and wants to move immediately. As the full platform matures, schools like Stillman can transition to the full experience if and when a broader CRM integration path is available.
Investment Summary
| Phase | What It Does | Timeline | Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Landing Pages | Three branded pages collecting circle interest — ready to share | ~1.5 weeks | $1,400 - $1,800 |
| Phase 2: CRM Backend | Centralized management — contacts, pipelines, automation, payments, reporting | ~2 weeks | $4,500 - $6,500 |
| CRM Monthly Subscription | Platform subscription (ongoing) | Ongoing | $297/month |
Combine Both Phases?
If you decide to proceed with both Phase 1 and Phase 2 together, we can discuss a combined price instead of two separate prices to help you save. Contact us to discuss.
🚀Next Steps
Recommended Path
Say yes to Phase 1 now
Fast, low cost, and gets Stillman's three circles collecting interest within 1.5 weeks. Share links with Dr. Page and start building prospect lists while the momentum is there.
Decide on Phase 2 based on volume
If interest comes in and you're managing dozens of contacts across three circles with outreach, follow-ups, and pledges to track — the CRM backend will save significant time. If volume is light enough for a spreadsheet, hold off.
Everything feeds forward
When the full Connect To Give platform is ready, this data and these relationships become the foundation for Stillman's onboarding.
To Get Started:
- ✅Confirm Phase 1 (landing pages) — the easy yes
- 📸Provide circle details: photos, descriptions, goal amounts, messaging preferences
- 💳Submit deposit to begin
- 📬Landing pages delivered within ~1.5 weeks
- 🤔Decide on Phase 2 (CRM backend) based on your needs
Phase Approval
$1,400 - $1,800
$4,500 - $6,500 + $297/mo
Approve Phase 1 and enter your name to enable payment