Sametz Blackstone provides strategy and integrated communications for capital campaigns totaling $2billion

Collaborations are with leading academic, healthcare, cultural, conservation, and biomedical research organizations—to help each to better connect to prospects and donors—and build volunteer corps of ambassadors.

Boston, MA, June 25, 2008—Sametz Blackstone Associates, a leading Boston-based, brand-focused communication practice announced that it is partnering with leading academic, healthcare, cultural, conservation, and biomedical research organizations to provide strategy and print and digital communications to support capital campaigns totaling $2billion.

Organizations with whom Sametz Blackstone is collaborating include: American Cancer Society / New England Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dana Hall School, the League of American Orchestras, and Mass Audubon Society.

Additional clients with whom the firm is collaborating to evolve strategies and materials to support a range of fundraising activities include: the Boston Symphony Orchestra, McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Joslin Diabetes Center, and Citizen Schools.

According to Roger Sametz, president of Sametz Blackstone, "While each of these organizations has different goals and priorities for which they’re raising funds, we’re helping all of them to identify 'ways in' that connect donor interests and passions with institutional priorities—and then create the messages and materials that tell (and prove) each organization’s story–to advance dialogues and build relationships."

Brandon Walsh, strategist at Sametz Blackstone, adds: "It’s not compelling to 'lead with your need.' Neither is it to the institution’s advantage to be led off mission by donor interests. We collaborate to find the 'sweetspot' where what an organization does well and seeks to advance intersects with what donors care about and will support—and then make a compelling case that there’s no better place to invest to advance this shared vision."

Eric Norman, also a strategist at Sametz Blackstone, continues: "The fundraising landscape is crowded and noisy. We work with clients to help them to be heard above the din. An while our goal is always to help our clients to meet their financial targets, we are also always focused on using both the process and communications of campaigns to build brand meaning and increased visibility for each organization."

In a bit more detail…

American Cancer Society's New England Division engaged Sametz Blackstone Associates to collaborate on the planning, development, and implementation of a communications program to support their most ambitious fundraising effort to date—a comprehensive campaign focused on four priorities: cancer research, patient navigation, building Hope Lodges in Vermont and Boston, and overall program enhancement. While American Cancer Society is expert in soliciting small gifts at high-volume ($50 checks at Relay For Life events, for instance), it was less experienced in the cultivation and stewardship of high-end donors. Sametz Blackstone collaborated with the Society’s communication team and board of directors to develop and refine the core campaign story, evolve resonant "entry points" and supporting messages, and craft an architecture of materials that is helping the organization start and nurture deeper, and more institutionally-focused, relationships. To ensure the Society took ownership of the system, Sametz Blackstone conducted a series of workshops with key staff and leadership so that all could learn how to best utilize the main messages, modular case kit, and templated tools.

Challenging boundaries, Transforming lives, the campaign for Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, is aimed at strengthening, extending, and transforming the institution's leading capabilities in patient care and medical research. Brigham and Women's partnered with Sametz Blackstone to develop a multi-tiered, multi-channel, modular campaign communications system that will help advancement officers and volunteer leadership to deliver compelling, targeted cases for support.

Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, is about to take public its campaign to transform itself—reorganizing its work into twelve patient- and disease-focused institutes. Sametz Blackstone Associates, working with the communications and advancement professionals at Mt Sinai, are developing a donor-focused system of campaign communications to attract participation in, and commitment to, this visionary project.

The Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, one of the United State's top independent research organizations, is undertaking a comprehensive campaign to strengthen its unique approach to collaborative, patient-focused research. Sametz Blackstone Associates is developing an integrated campaign communications system that makes a tangible, coherent, and compelling case for supporting an important but undervalued organization.

Since 1982, the Whitehead Institute's impact and influence on biomedical research has vastly exceeded its modest size. Sametz Blackstone is collaborating with management and volunteer leadership to raise funds for a Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Initiative. Philanthropic partners will fund the development of technologies to that will advance stem cell research not just at Whitehead, but at hospitals, medical schools, and research institutions the world over.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is beginning the largest comprehensive campaign in its history, aimed at positioning the school for the increasingly urgent demands for well-trained scientists and engineers prepared to solve problems of global importance. WPI is collaborating with Sametz Blackstone to develop a campaign communications program that will, in addition to helping meet the Institute's ambitious funding goals, bolster the recognition of their brand as a leader in research and education.

Dana Hall School recently launched its largest comprehensive campaign, focused on growing capital and endowment resources. Extending the brand strategy and visual design system Sametz Blackstone developed for school-wide communications, the campaign materials are aimed at clearly articulating the institution’s strategy for growth, improving the Dana Hall community’s appreciation for the urgency of philanthropic support, and strengthening the school’s brand.

Mass Audubon Society's first major comprehensive campaign, Connecting People and Nature, is centered on four priority areas: Building conservation communities, Protecting land and habitat, Preserving our common wealth of birds, and the (unrestricted) Fund for nature. Both research and success dictated that the campaign extend beyond "birds" and "land" to reach a broad audience. We collaborated with Mass Audubon to develop seven values-based “ways-in” for potential donors; we crafted specific messages, proof points, and stories that talk to what prospects care about; we evolved a modular system for all campaign communications and helped to train sanctuary directors and volunteer leadership to be effective ambassadors.

About Sametz Blackstone Associates

Sametz Blackstone Associates, a Boston-based, brand-focused strategic communications practice, works with leading cultural, academic, research, and professional service organizations, as well as leading corporations. A twenty-nine year-old global practice, Sametz Blackstone integrates strategy, message development, design, and technology to develop and produce compelling communication programs that help evolving organizations better navigate change. Clients include centenarians and start-ups: Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Boston Ballet, Boston Center for the Arts, WGBH, Massachusetts Audubon Society, MIT Sloan School of Management, Harvard University, Yale University, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Direxion Funds, Goodwin Procter, and one of the world's largest management consulting firms. For additional information visit: www.sametz.com.

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