Jim Saporito: Building a Team and a Culture of Giving
When Jim Saporito first came to Cincinnati Children’s as senior vice president of Development in 2011, he was tasked with doubling annual philanthropy from $15 million to $30 million in three years. To accomplish that, Jim built a strong team and introduced a strategic roadmap for success. The Development team exceeded that goal, raising close to $40 million by 2014.
How did he do it? Jim explains, “Philanthropy is a team sport. No one does it alone. It’s about the ability to mobilize a group of staff, volunteers and institutional leaders.”
Jim was born and raised in East Palestine, OH. Upon graduation from high school he worked in a steel factory in his hometown before starting college at age 26. He originally wanted to be a radio talk show host but switched gears and focused on marketing and communications.
“My first job out of college was at a small, private school as director of communications and marketing,” he recalls. “The head of development approached me and asked if I would be interested in alumni fundraising.” I said ‘yes’ and started working on the annual fund in 1993. After leaving this position in 1998, Jim went on to hold leadership fundraising positions at the Alzheimer’s Association, Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic.
A Different Approach
When Jim first arrived at Cincinnati Children’s, the Development team numbered 41 people. Today, there are 53 employees in the department.
“We have definitely grown” he says, “but we have grown most strategically in the areas that would give us the largest return for our investment, which is in major gifts.”
The results speak for themselves. The team is on track to raise $65 million in this current fiscal year.
Part of that $65 million is earmarked for the Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM) where philanthropy has been transformative. The Farmer Family Foundation has generously supported CuSTOM from 2017 through this year.
"After our team explained the gap in funding that existed, the Foundation understood the huge impact their support could have in accelerating progress and agreed to a challenge grant—which when added to their previous support has propelled organoid research in an effort to help children—and adults—more quickly," says Jim. “Without that funding, organoid research would be two years behind where it is now.”
There are similar examples with the Heart Institute, the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute and the Perinatal Institute. Philanthropy enables these groups to purchase equipment, hire staff, further research and expand clinical care.
Says Jim, “That’s the heart of what philanthropy does. It fills the gaps between what the institution can fund through operations and what programs need additional funding. And the faster we can get the research out of the lab and into the clinic, the better it is for all children.”
Every Gift Matters
“Major gifts ($50,000 or higher) make up 80% of philanthropic revenue. However, we rely on smaller gifts as well,” says Jim Saporito. “Often, the smaller gifts are from first-time donors. They may have read a patient story online or responded to something we sent in the mail. It gives us a starting point to reach out to those who are motivated to give to Cincinnati Children’s and find out where their interests lie.”
According to Jim, some of these people will eventually become major gift donors.
“It’s the cycle of giving,” he explains. “In any solid development program, whether it’s a hospital, higher education, or the arts, there’s a very close relationship between the smaller gifts, annual fund or event-driven gifts and major gifts. The big gifts are the ones that get the publicity, but every gift, regardless of the amount, is important, very much appreciated, and greatly benefits the patients and families served by Cincinnati Children’s.”
A Silver Lining
When COVID-19 hit, Jim and his team were concerned on several fronts—what would the pandemic mean for their annual fundraisers, like Cincinnati Walks for Kids and Kaleidoscope? Additionally, how would their work be affected by not being able to meet with prospective donors in person?
They pivoted quickly to holding virtual events and actually saw an uptick in giving. Now, they include a virtual component with every meeting—because people expect it and because it allows the team to include more people in the community who are interested in our mission.
A Strong Legacy
When Jim retires at the end of this month, he will leave Cincinnati Children’s with a thriving philanthropic program that continues to grow.
“The pinnacle pediatric fundraising programs at Boston Children’s, CHOP, and Texas Children’s are raising in excess of $100 million a year,” says Jim. "We have the ability to join their fundraising ranks, but it’s going to take a strong commitment from the institution to realize that goal.
“Philanthropists want to invest in winning organizations—organizations that can produce results and be good stewards of their funds—like Cincinnati Children’s.”
Cincinnati Children's welcomed Jim Saporito to the medical center in the summer of 2011. Then 6-year-old patient Charlie Ehrhardt helped introduce him to our community of supporters.
Jim, with Louis Guttman, husband of Cincinnati Children's trustee, Beth Guttman, at the Kaleidoscope event last year.