alumni relations & annual giving: partnering for young alumni engagement

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Timothy Ponisciak | University of Notre Dame

ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ANNUAL GIVING: PARTNERING FOR YOUNG ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Stephanie Felicetti | University of Notre Dame

LEARNING OUTCOME

After participating…

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…you will be able to build an active partnership between alumni relations and annual giving that increases young alumni loyalty and giving.

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• Institutional background• Partnering to overcome challenges

specific to young alumni• Successful partnership events• In Summary

AGENDA

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INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND

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• Notre Dame’s structure • Responsibilities and goals • Solution-focused team approach

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

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NOTRE DAME’S STRUCTURE

University Relations

Alumni Association

Programs Team

Young Alumni Programs

(Stephanie)

Development

Annual Giving Team

Young Alumni Fundraising

(Tim)

Public Affairs

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HISTORYLack of collaboration

• Duplicating efforts • Discouraged/disgruntled alumni • Too many mailings, same

information twice, etc.

We have overcome many of these challenges by partnering!

WHY PARTNER?

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• Team Approach• University Relations Summit

– Meeting of all three departments to share ideas and collaborate

WHY PARTNER?

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• Initial meeting • Established bi-weekly meetings• Shared calendars • Open dialogue

– Goals – Partnership Scope – Budget

WHAT DID WE DO?

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• Determine appropriate parties• Open and honest conversation

– It won’t benefit anyone if you hold back information concerning your goals and initiatives

• Establish plan/opportunities to partner • Maintain periodic meetings

HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?

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Both departments can benefit by partnerships between Development and Alumni Association.

Consequently, Notre Dame benefits.

WHY PARTNER?

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• Physical location• Alumni relations & annual giving – combined

department – Reporting structure– Budget considerations

• Alumni relations and/or annual giving split by college

SCALING TO OTHER ALUMNI RELATIONS & ANNUAL GIVING STRUCTURES

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PARTNERING TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES SPECIFIC TO YOUNG ALUMNI

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VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT#1 issue volunteer management

– Recruiting volunteers is challenging for everyone

SOLUTION: Sharing contacts in order to generate champion volunteers

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES WITH YOUNG ALUMNI

• Work hours tend to be longer and evening work commitment interfere

• Working with alumni from 4 different time zones

• Social/service/other commitments make evening calls difficult

SOLUTION: Creative scheduling/approach

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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SOLVING COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES– Plan ahead!

• Young Alumni Committee Calls (young alumni collaborative peer network)

• 4x/year • Dates provided November of

PREVIOUS year – Team Voting

• Let the volunteers decide what times work best by popular vote

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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STEWARD VOLUNTEERS WITH GIFTS– Small giveaways for everyone attending

the call– On call, raffle off

• Football tickets • Gift basket

– Reunion welcome basket

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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SUSTAINING MOTIVATION– Say thank you…a LOT!– Provide insider information

• Ex. New construction

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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NEW YOUNG ALUMNI RECOGNITION SOCIETY

– $500 annual gift– Young alumni volunteer launch

committee• Committee presented new

networking opportunity for young alumni

– Story ideas for monthly newsletter– Membership

CORBY SOCIETY

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• Initial Collaboration – Brainstorming committees

• Volunteer on Corby Society Steering Committee

• Supply Corby Society information at young alumni (alumni association) events

YOUNG ALUMNI GIVING RECOGNITION SOCIETY COLLABORATION

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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• Quarterly Newsletter – Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Editions • Preparation

– Production scheduled for the year – Work with Senior Editor– Hit variety of topics

(service/spiritual, personal highlight, event, information, etc.)

YOUNG ALUMNI E-NEWS SCHEDULE

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MOBILE MARKETING

IZigg

Are you making your 2014 football travel plans? Visit footballtickets.nd.edu for info on qualifying donations for the

2014 alumni football ticket lottery

Check out the most recent Young Alumni Newsletter

http://youngalumni.nd.edu/YANews GO IRISH!

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SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP EVENTS

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STUDENT VIDEO PROJECTS

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• SAME GOAL! Split the cost • Utilize videos for annual giving and

alumni association communications • Students produce specific videos • Develop new ideas

STUDENT VIDEO PROGRAM COLLABORATION

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STUDENT VIDEO PROGRAM

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FIRST YEAR ORIENTATION

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• Weekend of events: welcoming first year students

• First touch point with students • SAME GOAL!

– Opportunity to collaborate

FIRST YEAR ORIENTATION

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• Invite students to pick up welcome gift

• Split cost of welcome gift • Welcome letter (touch point)

FIRST YEAR ORIENTATION - COLLABORATION

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WELCOME LETTER

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THANKSGIVING IN FEBRUARY

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• Annual event to acknowledge annual fund donors

• Underclass-fundraising student led initiative

• Partnership– Recruiting student volunteers – Assistance with communications

THANKSGIVING IN FEBRUARY

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• Development fundraiser• 220 seniors attended• Volunteers and engagement

SENIOR TRIVIA NIGHT

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EVENT RESULTS• Gifts from all attendees – 220

students• Increase senior class giving

percentage • Over 10% of graduating class

participated and made a gift

SENIOR TRIVIA NIGHT

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REGIONAL EVENTS

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COLLABORATION– Assists with staffing needs at

Alumni Association or Development events

– Provides more opportunities for each to interact with constituent base

– Partnerships on events in New York, D.C. and Chicago

REGIONAL EVENTS

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COLLABORATION– Staffing events: Important to be

known/seen among young alumni – Partnerships on events

• Splitting cost • More touch points• More attendees

REGIONAL EVENTS IMPACT

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• Co-sponsored by Alumni Association & Development

• Large regional young alumni event designed to engage alums with Notre Dame

SUMMER IN THE CITY

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• Focus groups • Planning /brainstorming

SITC PARTNERSHIP

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SITC FUNDRAISING

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IN SUMMARY

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• Disagree on certain approaches• Not always appropriate to partner • Problems solved:

• Yankee Stadium event• Corby Society – members only • Young Alumni Event – open to

alumni, parents, friends

CHALLENGES OF PARTNERING

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• Alumni association presence at development events and vice-versa• More opportunity to mingle/meet• Shared contacts • Additional event staff

• Lower cost for events

POSITIVE IMPACT

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• More events • More opportunity to mingle/meet

alumni • Reaction

• We have yet to receive a negative reaction regarding sharing resources/events

CONSTITUENT’S PERSPECTIVE

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• Freshman Orientation – Year 1 Impact: 500 freshmen (prior

to partnership)– Year 2 Impact: 1,200 freshmen– Year 3 Impact: 1,500 freshmen

• Thanksgiving in February – Year 1 Results: 2,000 thank you

cards – Year 2 Results: 3,000 thank you

cards

MEASURABLE SUCCESS: STUDENT PROGRAMS

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SENIOR CLASS FUNDRAISING – Year 0 Results: 22%* *Prior to Partnership– Year 1 Results: 41%– Year 2 Results: 48%– Year 3 Results: 49%

MEASURABLE SUCCESS: STUDENT PROGRAMS

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• Reunion – Dorm Challenge Fundraising

• 5 Year Reunion Class: Participation Increase 1.4%

• 10 Year Reunion Class: Participation Increase 6.1%

• Summer in the City – Engagement of over 800 alumni – Opportunity to increase young alumni

gifts

MEASURABLE SUCCESS:YOUNG ALUMNI REUNIONS

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• Increase in total young alumni giving– Participation rate– Total dollars raised

• Corby Society – Impact young alumni giving and

engagement– 500+ member over $250,000 raised

MEASURABLE SUCCESS: YOUNG ALUMNI

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YOUNG ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT– Impact 3,000+ young alumni at

regional events (Yankee Stadium, Chicago, Washington D.C.)

– Impact 6,000 young alumni through texting program

MEASURABLE SUCCESS:YOUNG ALUMNI

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TWO AVENUES OF ENGAGEMENT, DON’T HAVE TO ALWAYS BE COMPLETELY SEPARATE

• Sharing contacts• Marketing mix• Brainstorming• Incentives• Budget

PROBABILITY

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• Student Programs (AR) & Parents Programs (AF)

• Reunion monthly meetings (AR + AF)

• Monthly meeting w/NDAA Resources

• Library database resources

ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION

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• UR Summit • Promotions• Awards

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNIES TO HIGHLIGHT PARTNERSHIP

LEARNING OUTCOMEQUESTIONS

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Stephanie Felicetti, smola1@nd.eduTim Ponisciak, tponisci@nd.edu

LEARNING OUTCOMEEVALUATION

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