Identify and categorize key touchpoints, dive deeper with granular segmentation, create custom program reports, and benchmark your progress with Almabase to increase alumni engagement and drive results.
Published:
August 29, 2024
Updated:
In 2019, CASE introduced the Alumni Engagement Metrics survey, now known as CASE Insights on Alumni Engagement. This initiative was designed to help institutions measure alumni engagement across four key areas: Philanthropic, Volunteer, Experiential, and Communications. The goal was simple—provide a straightforward way to capture various types of alumni engagement annually.
Fast forward five years, and it’s time to reflect on how well we’ve implemented these metrics. Are we truly using the data to drive decisions and improve engagement strategies? Or are we just scratching the surface of what’s possible?
To effectively track and utilize alumni engagement data, having the right technology in place is crucial. Without it, gathering data from multiple sources, analyzing it, and making sense of it all becomes a daunting task. The right tech solutions allow us to automate data collection, integrate various data points seamlessly, and generate insightful analytics. Without these tools, we’re left guessing rather than making data-driven decisions.
But it’s not just about having the right tools. Another significant challenge is dealing with multiple systems that don’t communicate with each other, leading to data silos. When data is stored in separate, disconnected systems, it’s nearly impossible to get a comprehensive view of alumni engagement. This fragmentation leads to inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and missed opportunities to engage with alumni in meaningful ways.
Almabase lets you easily track all the meaningful interactions alumni have with your institution. Whether you're running a mentorship program, planning a homecoming event, or hosting a giving day, you can identify and categorize touchpoints that matter most to you. You can even customize these touchpoints to fit your needs—like tracking who viewed an event page, opened an email, or made a donation. With Almabase, all this data is automatically captured and organized, making it easy to see the full picture without any manual data entry.
Almabase’s robust reporting tools allow you to generate specific reports with custom filters, so you can get as detailed as you need. Whether it's seeing who engaged with a particular campaign or tracking participation in events, you have the power to create reports that give you the insights you need. Plus, with pre-populated reports ready to use, you can hit the ground running without any extra hassle.
Almabase makes it simple to see how all your digital engagement initiatives are performing with custom program reports. In just three steps, you can tie together all your data—select your audience, choose what to track (emails, events, forms, etc.), and define what counts as participation. This way, you get a clear view of how each effort contributes to your overall goals.
Almabase also helps you understand how your engagement efforts compare to those of other institutions. By leveraging AI-driven data from peer institutions, you can see where you stand and identify areas for improvement. These insights are based on factors like institution type and contactable record size, helping you refine your strategies based on what’s working well for others.
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With Almabase, you have everything you need to track, analyze, and improve your alumni engagement efforts, all in one place. Whether you’re looking to simplify data collection, generate detailed insights, or benchmark against peers, Almabase makes it easy.
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It can be terribly hard to keep data sane and organized, and even more so when your team’s working with different platforms to store constituent data.
Moving things across several platforms can be a daunting task, but we’ve got you covered. If your institution uses Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT to store constituent data, Almabase’s state-of-the-art integration with RE NXT makes data management a breeze. The integration works right out of the box, and with a push of a button, you can have your data flow seamlessly between Almabase and RE NXT.
Read how Northwestern Health Sciences University leverages Almabase & Raiser's Edge integration for their engagement and fundraising needs.
Here’s everything you need to know about Almabase’s integration with RE NXT.
We started working on this integration with a simple goal – to ensure that your team won’t have to spend resources (and their time) on an expensive third-party solution. That’s why our integration works right out of the box, without the need to set it up manually. With the integration, Almabase and RE NXT can sync multiple data points with the push of a button. What’s more, the data that flows between the platforms is going to be clean and structured, without the hindrance of duplicates. This means that there will be zero compromise on the quality of your data when it flows between systems, which is a huge plus for your IT team.
We’ve approached our integration to sync data based on three distinct fields, which are:
Each of these fields relates to an engagement touchpoint that a constituent might create through different channels. For instance, imagine an alum makes a gift to one of your campaigns, or another registers to and participates in your next event. All of these data-points will be captured and relayed back to RE NXT through the integration.
With Almabase, your alumni have the option to sign up using social sync (either through LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google). By using social sync to sign up, the platform automatically pulls the latest information of your constituent. This information will be fed back to RE NXT, where their records will be updated. Here’s a look at the data that gets collected and updated:
However, that’s not all. Any time a constituent updates their information while registering for, or participating in an event, the updated information automatically flows back to their record on RE NXT. All of this magic happens behind the scenes, without you or a team member having to lift a finger. This can be a huge time-saver for Advancement Services professionals.
Every time you create an event page on Almabase, the integration syncs key data points of this event (event name, date, description, ticketing details, and so on) with RE NXT. This means that all events created on Almabase will also be reflected in your RE NXT database.
Once an event page is live and open for registrations, you can go to the corresponding event page on RE NXT to view detailed participant information. Here are a few key details that get recorded on RE NXT as soon as your constituent completes their registration:
You can always create custom workflows to dictate how the data should flow back to RE NXT, and which fields they should correspond to. You also have a whole host of options when it comes to printing receipts. All of these features take the stress out of events for your event managers!
Every time a constituent pledges a gift to your giving campaign on Almabase, the data associated with each gift will be reflected on our versatile gift dashboard. Payments made on Almabase can be split into gift amount and services/tickets to accommodate any downstream processes as well. From the dashboard, you have the option of creating a batch of gifts, using a broad set of data filters. Once you’ve created a batch, you can run a workflow to import all the gifts corresponding to that batch into RE NXT. Here are some of the data points that get synced:
Creating a batch of gifts on Almabase is simple, as you have plenty of filters at your disposal. Once gift data flows to your RE NXT database, you can view all your gifts, and even make edits to gift details wherever needed. This can help professionals working with Annual Fund and Major Gifts to plan more effective campaigns and raise more funds.
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So there you have it – an overview of Almabase’s best-in-class integration with Raiser’s Edge NXT. While we tried to cover most of how the integration works, there’s still a lot we couldn’t fit into this blog post, for obvious reasons.
If you want to learn more about how the integration can help set your Advancement Team up for success, we have a blog post just for that.
Get in touch with one of our Alumni Success specialists if you want to see the integration in action - we have a feeling you’re going to like what you see!
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Almabase 🔁 RENXT | Simplified data processes for your educational institution
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“Are we really doing well compared to our peers and industry benchmarks?” is a question that keeps many advancement professionals guessing. In an industry where performance can be highly variable and context-specific, having a benchmark to compare your performance to industry standards isn't just useful—it's essential.
Understanding where you stand relative to similar institutions can provide crucial insights and drive strategic improvements. That's why we've updated and revised our program reports, designed to give you a clear, actionable picture of your program's effectiveness and your standing in the broader landscape.
These monthly reports go beyond simple round-offs of your community engagement. Leveraging AI-driven engagement data from peer institutions, we add peer comparisons to these reports, letting you see how your engagement strategies stack up against those of institutions facing similar challenges and opportunities. This helps you better understand your program's position within the broader landscape. These comparative insights are based on two key factors:
The new program reports, delivered straight to your inbox each month, will provide insights into your program performance and a clear comparison of overall engagement activity against the previous month. This means you can see precisely what's resonating with your alumni and what areas might need fine-tuning—all within a single, easy-to-digest format.
These fine-tuned reports provide detailed performance insights for individual programs, helping you tailor your approach to various alumni groups and segment your strategy more effectively.
To ensure you're continually improving engagement, our platform also supports several automation tools. These tools can help you maintain consistent communication across directories, networking, recommendations, and email newsletters, making it easier to reach and engage your audience effectively. With these insights and tools at your disposal, you not only keep pace with your peers but also set the standard in scaling alumni engagement.
If you’re an Almabase customer, you will receive these reports at the start of every month now!
Benchmark smarter, engage deeper: [New] Program reports deliver peer comparisons and monthly insights
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In today’s digital-first world, having a well-designed, functional website is crucial for educational institutions. Often, institutions using outdated tools lack the flexibility, aesthetics, brand consistency, and functionality required to meet the expectations of today’s digital-savvy users.
Almabase now offers a powerful integration with WordPress, the world’s most popular content management system (CMS). This integration allows institutions to enhance their online presence with a highly customizable website while ensuring top-notch security and seamless support. This level of customization is crucial for standing out in a crowded digital landscape and ensuring that your website truly reflects your institution’s identity.
In this blog, we’ll explore what this integration entails, the benefits it offers, and the design services available to help you create a website that truly reflects your institution’s identity across all your webpages.
By default, Almabase comes with a default homepage with essential customization options like color schemes and logos to align with your school’s branding.
WordPress integration is a game changer for institutions that want advanced customization and flexibility. It unlocks advanced customization options, allowing you to either modify the default theme or create a unique theme tailored to your institution’s specific needs. This means you can fully leverage WordPress’s vast ecosystem of themes, plugins, and design tools to build a website that stands out.
Here are a few examples of our customers' WordPress pages:
1. Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation
2. Illinois Institute of Technology
3. Punahou School
Furthermore, all the features unlocked by the integration are available to every user at no additional charge. Whether you choose to customize the theme yourself or build a new one from scratch, you have the freedom to create a website that perfectly aligns with your institution’s branding guidelines.
For institutions that prioritize branding but may lack the time or staff to handle website design, Almabase offers professional design services to help bring your vision to life.
• Homepage Development: Whether you want to redesign your homepage or replicate another reference site, we offer tailored services to meet your needs.
• Internal Page Design: Help you create custom pages that resonate with your audience.
• Page Template Design: Help you build reusable templates that simplify content updates.
Whether you're familiar with WordPress or new to the platform, Almabase’s integration has you covered.
1. Start with the default WordPress theme offered by Almabase.
2. Customize the branding, update the design of the header and footer, and modify the content of the homepage to highlight key programs.
3. Take advantage of features like:
• Access to Elementor Pro, a popular WordPress page builder
• WordPress front page customization
• Header and footer customization
• Access to paid plugins, like social media feeds
• Using WordPress for internal pages and posts
If you prefer, you can also purchase additional design services to replicate styling from another website or to assist with content migration.
1. Start with the default WordPress theme offered by Almabase.
2. Easily add, remove, or modify content to reflect the key programs you want to highlight.
3. If needed, purchase additional design services to assist with styling replication and content migration, ensuring your website meets your expectations.
Regardless of your experience level, Almabase’s WordPress integration offers the customization flexibility you need to create a website that reflects your institution’s identity.
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• Isolation: WordPress is installed in a separate, isolated virtual network, completely disconnected from Almabase’s production environment.
• Network Security: All workloads in the WordPress cluster use network security groups and appropriate firewall rules. Internet traffic is managed through gateway servers, allowing only HTTP(s) traffic.
• Encryption at Rest: Data and OS disks are encrypted at rest using Azure Disk Storage Server-Side Encryption.
• Encryption in Transit: Data is encrypted in transit using TLS v1.2 or above, with HTTP requests redirected to HTTPS.
• Regular Backups: Customized WordPress pages are backed up regularly to ensure quick recovery in the event of data loss.
• Routine Checks: We conduct regular security assessments and internal hackathons to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
• Restricted Access: Only authenticated users can access WordPress sites. Non-internet access from the WordPress cluster to the production cluster is disabled.
Almabase’s integration with WordPress provides institutions with an unmatched opportunity to create a highly customized, secure, and professional website. Whether you’re new to WordPress or an experienced user, Almabase offers the tools and support you need to build a site that enhances your alumni engagement efforts. With our expert support and robust security measures, you can focus on what matters most—building lasting connections with your alumni community.
How Almabase's Advanced Branding and Customization Set You Apart with WordPress Integration
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