4 Event Ideas That Raise Money & Connect With Alumni

Your university likely often brainstorms new fundraising ideas to engage alumni, from Giving Tuesdays to tele-a-thons. However, one of the most effective ways to earn alumni support is to demonstrate your appreciation before pitching for a donation. 

According to NPO Info’s charitable giving statistics report, alumni are an important donor group for higher education institutions, contributing approximately 26% of all gifts to colleges and universities.

Theoretically, your university should see a regular increase in alumni giving year after year as each class graduates and enters the workforce. 

However, universities will only be able to set themselves up for this growing support if they take the proper steps to retain their alumni donors. To help your university improve your alumni donor appreciation strategy and increase fundraising, this article will explore how to:

1. Send personalized messages. 
2. Send custom merchandise. 
3. Host alumni events. 

When reaching out to current and potential alumni donors, keep in mind that just because an alumni isn’t able to give now, doesn’t mean they won’t be able to in the future. Keeping these relationships strong long-term can be well worth the effort.

1. Send personalized messages

Each of your alumni had a unique experience at your university, making life-long connections with professors, faculty, and fellow students. Show them that they are still an important part of this community by reaching out to them with personalized messages.

Basic personalization includes doing small things like addressing your alumni by name. But you can go a step further and create messages that will truly capture their attention by:

• Creating segmented messaging lists: While there are some emails you may want to send to all of your alumni, such as a monthly newsletter, you can create more personalized messaging experiences for alumni through segmentation strategies. For example, try dividing your alumni donors based on graduation year, donation history, and even major. 

• Getting your current students and other alumni involved: Messages from universities often feel more personal when they come from another student rather than a faculty member. Consider employing some of your current students to share their stories and send messages to alumni. Or, consider reaching out to current alumni volunteers too and have them get in touch with their peers to fundraise for your university and connect with their old classmates at the same time. 

• Sharing their impact: Your alumni want to know that your university continues to improve and give current students an even better experience than when they attended. When reaching out to alumni about donating, share stories about how the campus has improved. 

Personalized messages strengthen your donation requests and show your alumni that your university acknowledges and appreciates their support. Additionally, be sure to reach out to alumni volunteers to thank them for their efforts. This will help secure their support long-term, and may even lead to future donations as volunteers can often turn into donors. 

2. Send custom merchandise

Chances are that you or someone (or many people) you know still have school spirit for their alma mater, even decades later. You can help your alumni continue to represent their school years after graduation with custom merchandise with your university’s name and logo. 

Of course, your university likely already has an on-campus store where visiting alumni can pick up merchandise. However, you can give them more options by creating an online storefront or even sending merchandise in the mail as a thank-you for donating. 

When it comes to creating custom merchandise, you can stick to old classic designs or mix things up to create apparel that plays with your university’s branding in a unique way to make items that are stylish and maybe a bit out of the box, but still unquestionably represent your university. For example, try playing with the color and even the overall style of items to create something eye-catching. 

You can also create merchandise lines exclusively for alumni who donate or volunteer. This can make alumni feel not just appreciated, but that they are members of an exclusive group powering their school’s success.

3. Host alumni events

Although with time, your alumni will move on with new friends, coworkers, and raising families, many of them will likely enjoy reconnecting with old college friends and professors, revisiting campus, and reliving the time spent at their alma mater. Alumni events provide the opportunity for them to do just that and are an impactful way to show that their alma mater still considers them to be a valuable member. 

You can gather your alumni together to show your appreciation and garner support with events like:

• Galas and mixers: Chances are that most of your alumni will primarily want to attend events not to participate in any specific activity but to socialize with old classmates and professors. Formal galas give them the opportunity to meet up with one another. You can also host a more informal mixer to create an environment where alumni who may not have met before can break the ice and get to know each other. 

• Talks and presentations: One of your university’s greatest assets is your academic excellence and network of experts and professionals at the top of their fields. While many of your alumni may work in different industries than their major, many will still likely be interested in the same subjects they studied and be interested in attending a talk or presentation about new research in their fields of interest. 

• Virtual events: While some of your alumni may have stayed close to campus, others likely moved far across or even outside the country. You can maintain these connections by hosting a variety of virtual and hybrid events throughout the year. 

To host an alumni event, use your alumni management tools to identify alumni you would like to invite, create personalized invitations, and track how your event turned out. After each event, follow up with alumni to thank them for attending and create a communication stream to strengthen your relationship and encourage them to make a contribution in the future. 

Your alumni will have a connection to your school forever, and you can transform those feelings into lasting support with the right appreciation strategies. Show donors that their contributions matter by reaching out to them with custom messages, providing them with custom merchandise, and bringing them back to your university with numerous events. Good luck!

As a fraternity or sorority leader, you know just how much of an asset your alumni are. Not only are alumni involved in fraternities or sororities more likely to donate, but they also provide in-kind support as well. They make valuable volunteers, can help with recruitment, and provide networking opportunities for current chapter members, so you’ll want to nurture your relationships with them. That’s where alumni events come in.

When you hear that term, you might think of college sports watch parties or a fancy dinner. If these types of gatherings aren’t your chapter’s preference or you want to try something new, don’t worry. Luckily, there’s no one right way to host an alumni event—your chapter has the freedom to make it your own. 

However, there are some best practices to follow that will make your alumni event run smoothly. Here are three tips for boosting your alumni event attendance and invoke nostalgia. 

1. Segment your alumni for more effective outreach. 
2. Try a hybrid event format. 
3. Offer exclusive fundraising opportunities. 

Let’s explore how to optimize your alumni events to raise more money and sustain long-term support.

1. Segment your alumni for more effective outreach. 

One of the biggest challenges in outreach is hooking your target audience. After all, you have a mere 8 seconds on average to get their attention, which leaves you very little room for error.

The best way to get your alumni interested in attending your events is by writing specific messages that resonate with them. Since your alumni base is likely quite diverse, both in background and interests, it’s difficult to write an email that appeals to all of them. Luckily, you don’t have to. 

Segmenting your alumni is a great way of sending targeted messages that pique your alumni’s interests. It’s crucial to keep your data input methods standardized. There are numerous criteria you can use to segment them by, such as: 

• Current profession/employer
• Age
• College graduation class
• Place of residence
• Nonprofit affiliations
• Income, if known/estimated
• Preferred mode of communication
• Amount donated
• Past involvement with the organization

This is a lot of information to keep on hand for one person, let alone hundreds of your alumni. That’s why fraternity and sorority management software comes in handy during the segmentation process. According to OmegaFi, fraternity and sorority management software is tailor-made to help you store alumni data. Seamlessly send promotional event materials and create segmented mailing lists that will boost registrations. 

But be mindful to always include the essential need-to-knows in your materials regardless of how specifically you’re tailoring your message. Start by including your fraternity or sorority’s branding, such as your logo, slogan, and photos of your chapter members in motion. This will not only help your alumni identify who you are, but it’s also likely to bring up great memories from their time in the chapter. Furthermore, personalizing your alumni communications is key. Use mail merge templates to include the alumni’s name on the message, or you could include photos from their time in the chapter. 

2. Try a hybrid event format. 

Though in the past in-person events were the norm, times have rapidly changed. Now, with interactive communications platforms right at our fingertips, you can host events with attendees all over the world without them needing to leave the house. But, if you do have alumni in the area who want to come in person, you can have the best of both worlds with a hybrid event.

Hybrid events are the most flexible and inclusive type of get-togethers you can throw for your alumni. As long as they have an internet connection and a device (which is over 90% of the population), any alumni can attend your event. Here are some great hybrid events to try:

• Webinar or panel. Your fraternity or sorority likely tackles big issues through your philanthropic work. A webinar and panel discussion with thought leaders will not only raise awareness for your cause, but it’ll also spread the word about your current campaigns. You can host an in-person component with the speaker and attendees present while broadcasting to online viewers. If possible, try to recruit alumni to speak on your panel so they can promote the event to other chapter members.

• Career fair. One of the best advantages of joining a fraternity or sorority is access to a valuable network of brothers and sisters. Take this opportunity to host a career event exclusive to your alumni and current members. Add a hybrid component by creating a conference call with breakout rooms so members living anywhere can join in. 

• Class reunion. For a more traditional taste of college life, throw a class reunion where alumni can reconnect with their brothers and sisters. You can hold both in-person and virtual receptions to involve the most people possible. Incentivize them to attend with fun games, entertainment, and prizes.

Nobody knows your fraternity or sorority quite like you do, so ask for their input during the planning process. Ask your current members or involved alumni which events were successful in the past, and consider adding a hybrid element to it going forward. Adding a hybrid component will broaden the possibilities and allows you to incorporate the best elements of both event types. 

3. Offer exclusive fundraising opportunities.

It’s easy to forget that your alumni want to support your current members and shape your future. But, it’s up to your chapter to put on attractive events that encourage alumni to get involved. Catch their attention by offering opportunities and rewards for giving that they can’t get elsewhere. Some exclusive items include:

• Experiences. As a fraternity or sorority, you likely have access to fun outings around campus. Perhaps you can offer free college sporting event tickets to everyone who donates above a certain threshold. You can also turn to your community for interesting experiences, such as concerts, cooking classes, or free restaurant meals.

• Branded merchandise. A core aspect of your fraternity or sorority’s identity is your distinct Greek lettering. Consider offering exclusive branded products so your alumni can show their membership with style. Stand out from other organizations by offering unique items, like water bottles, and phone accessories.

• Prize baskets. Branded merchandise aren’t the only goods you can offer to your alumni. Themed prize baskets are a great offering because your organization can target certain alumni based on their interests. For instance, you could curate a nature lover prize basket complete with hiking supplies and a donation to a nature preserve in their honor. Brainstorm some ideas with your team to determine the best themes for your alumni.

Whether you’re throwing an auction complete with a paddle raise or a casual peer-to-peer event, you should incentivize your alumni to become recurring donors. Part of this process is offering them useful prizes as a reward for their support, so make a concerted effort to access the most desirable items and experiences around.

Chances are, your alumni joined your chapter for lifelong friendships and to make an impact on their community. Leverage this fact by reminding them of the great work you’re doing and the amazing people they’ve met through the organization. After your event, be sure to show your appreciation for their support and connect them with awesome opportunities. They’ll appreciate that you value their membership, even after graduation. 

About the Author

Fred Maglione, Chief Executive Officer
With primary responsibility for leading the day-to-day operations of the entire OmegaFi Company, Fred’s duties vary from one moment to the next. Advising nonprofit organizations on operational efficiency, expanding payment processing solutions, developing database management systems, raising money and enhancing our customer’s experience are all part of his job. As an attorney with nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit management industry, Fred has earned the prestigious designation of "Certified Fund Raising Executive" from CFRE International. He voluntarily serves as the House Corporation President for the Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega, and is licensed to practice law in the states of Florida and Georgia. Away from work Fred, enjoys time with his wife and their two energetic sons. As often as possible, they travel to visit their extended family scattered throughout the United States. Fred also finds time to cheer for his favorite football team – The Florida State Seminoles!

Picture this: You’re the director of fundraising and development at a well-known higher education institution. You’ve recently had a ton of money coming in to support your larger-scale initiatives. A private grant-giving foundation is providing your team with the money required to open a high-tech computer lab, and a major donor is funding the building of a new wing at the school.

But what about your other day-to-day operations? You need funds to keep your institution above water, continue paying staff salaries, and invest in behind-the-scenes technology that allows your university to continue running smoothly. Oftentimes, major gifts and grant funding don’t cover those needs.

And that’s where your annual fundraising strategy comes in! In this guide, we’ll explore four powerful tips for boosting this particular type of fundraising. As you begin planning your upcoming campaign, be sure to:

1. Review your previous year’s strategy.
2. Set strategic fundraising goals.
3. Diversify your annual appeal channels.
4. Double donations with corporate matching gifts.

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All sorts of mission-driven organizations rely on annual fundraising to help ⁠manage their in-between needs—and when it comes to university and other education-based institutions, your alumni are likely to be your biggest supporters!

Are you ready to uncover how you can position your school for the greatest annual fundraising success going into 2022? Let’s get started.

1. Review your previous year’s strategy

Fundraising organizations have learned a lot about effective fundraising strategies (and the way that they’re always changing) from the highs and lows of 2021. And before that, 2020. Going in 2022, reviewing efforts and results from previous years can give you a head start toward success.

To get started, take a look at where your fundraising flourished in the past year, as well as where you see room for improvement. If you notice that your efforts in the corporate giving arena could use some extra work, for example, consider prioritizing corporate fundraising in the upcoming year.

Here are some other key performance indicators (or KPIs) you might look at:

• The total amount of fundraising revenue
• Total number of donors
• Average donation size (and average increase over time)
• Percentage of repeat donors vs. one-time and lapsed givers
• Donations made through your website, direct mail, in-person, phone, events, and more

As you craft your newest annual fundraising strategy, make sure to prioritize the avenues that have historically been your most profitable while also giving extra care to channels that may be lagging behind.

2. Set strategic fundraising goals

A significant element of successful fundraising involves setting fundraising goals beforehand. Otherwise, how will you determine “success” in the first place?

You’ll want to choose lofty objectives that inspire donors and fundraisers alike while ensuring you don’t aim too high that it can seem unrealistic or like a “lost cause.” To find the perfect medium between the two, the best and most effective goals often follow the SMART framework.

As you craft your upcoming objectives, make sure they are:

• Specific. Your fundraising team (and donors) should know exactly what the goal is and how to reach it.
• Measurable. Ensure you choose quantifiable metrics that can easily be measured to determine success.
• Attainable. Again, unrealistic goals can set you up for failure. Make sure your goal is attainable, given your team and available resources.
• Relevant. Your fundraising goals should be directly related to fundraising⁠—and specifically, your annual fundraising campaign.
• Time-bound. Set a clear time period in which your annual campaign will run. This instills urgency among donors and allows you to determine whether you’ve reached your goal by the end.

Here’s an example of a SMART goal for an upcoming campaign - “To collect $10,000,000 in individual contributions to fund university operations by 12/31/2022.”

To contrast, a poorly crafted goal might look like this - “To raise a lot of money in the next few months.”

The former sample is much clearer and will ultimately result in greater success, while the latter is subjective and vague. When your annual fundraising objectives incorporate each element listed above, you can ensure your team is positioned for success.

3. Diversify your annual appeal channels

The more fundraising strategies and tools develop, the more comprehensive your campaigns are expected to be. As a result, organizations are encouraged to integrate multiple channels to spread the word about their annual fundraising efforts far and wide.

The particular avenues you choose to leverage for your annual campaign can vary depending on your donors’ preferences and your team’s strong points. However, they will likely incorporate a combination of the following:

• Website
• Email
• Direct mail
• Social media
• Phone calls
• Text messages
• Face-to-face

Several years ago, you may have been able to reach your goals solely through phone and in-person solicitation efforts. Now, it’s essential that you take a multichannel approach⁠—both to meet donors where they already are and to stand out from other organizations seeking your audiences’ attention.

4. Double donations with corporate matching gifts

Did you know that more than 26 million people work for companies with corporate matching gift programs? It’s likely that many of these individuals are your alumni, donors, and other key supporters.

Before you can expect a solid flow of corporate matches coming in, however, you’ll need to enact specific matching gift marketing strategies to raise awareness of this powerful opportunity. Because although 26+ million individuals are eligible for company matches, more than 78% of this group is completely unaware.

To incorporate corporate matching gifts into your annual fundraising strategy, consider these best practices:

• Share general matching gift information on social media.
• Incorporate matching gift appeals in your donation solicitations.
• Highlight matching gift opportunities directly in your online giving process.
• Follow up with match-eligible donors after receiving their initial gifts.
• Provide company-specific matching gift program guidelines with donors whose employers you know.

For you, matching gifts mean that your school has the potential to collect two donations for the cost of soliciting one. And for your donors, they get to know their contributions went twice as far.

You can’t do the big things (like your overall mission impact) without being able to fund the little things as well. An effective annual fundraising strategy allows your team to collect the dollars you need to bankroll every part of your school’s operations⁠—from the most glamorous of tasks to the most mundane.

Luckily, integrating these best practices into your strategy will allow you to raise more funding for your institution and better situate your team for ongoing success. Good luck!