Build lifelong relationships

Every institution has its own story, and alumni are a big part of it. Hence, keeping your alumni together can be a mammoth task. If done correctly, it helps you tap into a vast network that will do wonders for your institution’s community and growth. To see what a strong alumni community can achieve, take a look at some of the largest alumni associations for inspiration. If you've felt this pull but have had no idea how to start, you're in the right place. We’ve come up with a step-by-step guide to building a strong, sustainable alumni association that goes much beyond the conventional routes. 

In this blog, we’ll explore how to form your founding team, plan your first events, and keep momentum going long after launch. These steps provide a basic outline on which you can start working and can be followed despite diverse factors like the size of the Alumni/Alumni Team/Institution. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of turning your alumni network into a thriving, lifelong community.

What Is an Alumni Association?

A former students’ association, or alumni association, is simply a group that keeps graduates connected to one another and to their alma mater. While the exact structure varies depending on the size, interests, and resources of the institution, most associations organize alumni talks, social gatherings, and charity events; run fundraising campaigns; publish newsletters; and maintain updated alumni databases.

At its core, an alumni association helps in building lifelong relationships, mentoring current students, organizing events, raising funds, and creating professional networks. It’s the hub where alumni continue to share experiences, celebrate milestones, donate and contribute to the growth of their institution. According to the 2024 RNL Alumni national survey alumni who feel connected to their alma mater are 23 times more likely to give. That connection often translates into funding scholarships, launching new programs, and transforming campuses. Which is why investing in nurturing strong alumni associations is essential for ensuring the long-term growth and stability of the institution itself. 

💡Looking for ways to keep your alumni active and connected? Explore our Alumni Engagement Ideas blog for practical strategies you can start implementing today.

How to Start an Alumni Association (Step-by-Step)

Building an alumni association is about a long-term network that supports both alumni and the institution fruitfully. Here’s how to set it up thoughtfully, step by step.

Step 1: Identify Your Founding Members

Every successful alumni association starts with a handful of people who genuinely care. Begin by identifying alumni who’ve stayed active in your school’s community. Class representatives, event organizers, or those who often show up to reunions. Bring in a teacher or staff member who can bridge communication with the institution.

During your first few meetings, talk through what it means to be part of this network. Clarify how to become an alumni member, whether that includes every graduate, people who completed a specific program, or even long-term attendees. This definition matters later when you build your directory or collect membership fees.

Create a shared document that outlines each founding member’s role, be it outreach, event planning, data collection, or communication setup. Keeping early accountability simple and visible builds trust from the start.

Step 2: Define Your Mission and Goals

Before planning events or fundraisers, decide what your alumni association truly stands for. Gather a few founding members and talk through your “why.” Do you want to build a stronger alumni network, mentor students, or support campus projects? Choose two or three priorities to start with and revisit them every year as your community grows.

Once you’re clear, put it into a short mission statement that feels real, not corporate. Something like: “To help every graduate stay connected, supported, and proud of where they came from.”

Start small, and let your goals evolve each year as engagement deepens. Make it a routine to send a quick alumni survey to see what people actually value (career support, reunions, or volunteering). Setting goals based on real input keeps your association’s energy focused and sustainable.

Step 3: Draft the Structure and Bylaws

A clear structure keeps your alumni association running smoothly as it grows. Start by deciding how leadership works, who’s on the executive committee, how often roles rotate, and how decisions are approved. Typical roles include a President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. You can also add subcommittees for events, fundraising, or communication.

Next, put your basic bylaws in writing. Keep it simple but clear. Include things like how members are admitted, how meetings are held, voting procedures, and how funds are managed. Bylaws make your group credible and protect it from misunderstandings later, so it is important to have them defined clearly.

If you plan to collect membership fees or donations, define transparent financial practices early on; who manages the money, how records are kept, and when reports are shared with members.

You can also introduce membership tiers like annual, lifetime, or honorary members with specific benefits such as early event access or recognition on your alumni website. A short, one-page charter or handbook can summarize all this (you can share this with new members or partners as your association grows).

Step 4: Build a Communication Plan

Your alumni won’t engage if they don’t know what’s happening. Start by outlining how and when you’ll communicate, what channels you’ll use, how often you’ll share updates, and who manages each platform. Choose two or three reliable options to begin with, such as an email newsletter for official updates, LinkedIn for professional networking, and WhatsApp, Instagram or Slack for informal conversations.

Next, decide what kind of communication builds trust and interest. Mix institutional updates with alumni-focused stories, success highlights, and opportunities to give back. Make space for interaction, surveys, polls, or alumni Q&As so that communication doesn’t feel one-sided.

Step 5: Launch Events and Programs to Engage Alumni

Once your network feels connected online, bring it to life offline. Start small, a local coffee meetup, a virtual game night, or a “Back to Campus” open day. Follow it up with programs that add value for both alumni and students: mentoring circles, speaker panels, or internship drives.

To spark participation, launch a simple challenge like “100 Days of Giving” or “10 Hours to Mentor” that ties directly to your mission. Encourage batch-wise teams or friendly competition to keep things fun.

After each event, gather photos, testimonials, and short videos. Share them in your newsletter, social media and tag participants online. This not only builds momentum for the next event but also answers the long-term question of how to engage alumni consistently through stories, recognition, and shared purpose.

If you’re looking to simplify how you plan, promote, and measure your alumni events, explore how Almabase’s Alumni Relations platform helps institutions run all this from one place.

Step 6: Review, Reflect, and Refresh

Every six months, take stock. Are your events getting traction? Are new members joining? Is communication steady or fading? Use simple metrics such as email open rates, social engagement, and event turnout to gauge what’s working.

Invite feedback through short polls or virtual “town hall” chats. Alumni are more likely to stay involved when they see their input shaping the next phase. Keep evolving your association to stay relevant to changing alumni interests, industries, and life stages.

Why Your Institution Needs an Alumni Association

An alumni association turns graduation into the beginning of a lifelong connection. Beyond nostalgia, it fuels mentorship, fundraising, and community pride. Here’s what makes it essential for your institution- 

• Builds a lifelong community
  A strong alumni association keeps relationships alive long after graduation. It gives your graduates a place to connect, collaborate, and celebrate milestones together. For institutions, it’s the easiest way to keep your story growing  through people who carry your name proudly wherever they go.
  
  
• Turns pride into philanthropy
  When alumni feel connected, they give back. According to the CASE Voluntary Support of Education report, alumni donations made up 20.7% of all higher-ed giving in 2023, totaling $12 billion. Even small, consistent gifts from loyal alumni can fund scholarships, support infrastructure, or seed new programs, creating a dependable source of funding year after year.
  
  
• Bridges the gap between alumni and students
  Alumni associations make mentorship more than a buzzword. They create structured ways for graduates to guide students through career choices, internships, and skill development. A simple “Ask an Alum” session or LinkedIn mentoring program can spark connections that shape careers  and help students see real-world impact in their learning.
  
  
• Amplifies advocacy and reputation
  Your alumni are your most credible ambassadors. They bring visibility to your institution through their achievements, media features, and community work. Whether they’re speaking at conferences or representing your school abroad, alumni advocacy strengthens your brand more than any marketing campaign can.
  
  
• Supports institutional growth and stability
  Alumni networks often step up when schools pursue new goals (from launching research centers to funding student aid). Over time, a well-run association becomes a strategic partner, offering time, expertise, and resources far beyond financial contributions.

How to Sustain Engagement After Launch

Launching your alumni association is just the start; sustaining engagement is where the real work begins. Here’s how to keep the momentum going long after your first event- 

• Automate your communication
  Stay consistent without adding to your team’s workload. Automate welcome emails for new members, monthly newsletters, or event reminders. Platforms like Almabase make it easy to set up automated email journeys, so alumni continue to hear from you at the right time, not just during big campaigns.
  
  
• Keep your alumni data organized and searchable
  A clean, updated directory is the backbone of alumni engagement. Use an online database that lets members search for classmates, filter by location or industry, and reconnect instantly. With Almabase’s alumni directory and community modules, alumni can update their own profiles and discover peers with shared interests keeping the network naturally active.
  
  
• Segment by interests, not just graduation year
  Alumni engagement grows when communication feels personal. Segment your outreach based on career field, hobbies, or giving history rather than sending the same message to everyone. For example, engineers might get invited to technical panels while educators receive mentorship updates.
• Host purposeful, ongoing events
  Don’t stop at reunions. Plan smaller, theme-based events throughout the year like alumni-student mixers, local meetups, or webinar panels. Using Almabase’s Events module, you can track RSVPs, manage registrations, and send automated follow-ups that keep alumni coming back.
  
  
• Connect engagement to giving
  Every event, newsletter, or story can lead to impact. Tie engagement activities to meaningful outcomes such as funding a scholarship, mentoring students, or supporting a campus initiative. With Almabase’s Giving module, you can run campaigns that feel personal and transparent, making it easy for alumni to give back when they’re most inspired.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building an Alumni Association

Even the most well-intentioned alumni groups can lose traction if they overlook a few basics. The good news? Most of these missteps are easy to fix with a little structure and the right tools. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for (and how to stay ahead of them)- 

• Neglecting data management
  Outdated or incomplete data makes engagement nearly impossible. Keep your alumni list updated, verified, and centralized in one place. A CRM or an alumni management platform like Almabase automatically syncs updates, saving hours of manual cleanup.
  
• No follow-up after events
  Engagement doesn’t end when the event does. Always send a thank-you email, share event photos, or invite attendees to the next gathering. Almabase’s automated post-event workflows help turn one-time attendees into regular participants.
  
• Relying on manual tracking
  Spreadsheets might work in the beginning, but they quickly become unmanageable as your community grows. Manual tracking also means missed opportunities like forgetting to follow up with a potential donor or volunteer. Tools like Almabase centralize event data, donor activity, and communication history so nothing slips through the cracks.‍
• Overlooking consistent communication
  Going silent for months after launch is one of the fastest ways to lose momentum. Create a content calendar with regular touchpoints, newsletters, birthday wishes, or campus updates. Automating this ensures a steady, genuine connection throughout the year.‍
• Ignoring feedback and analytics
  Finally, track what works. Measure open rates, social engagement, and event responses to see what resonates with your audience.Over time, this data helps you refine your strategy and create communication that feels personal and relevant. Platforms like Almabase offer dashboards that show what’s working (and what’s not), helping you adjust your strategy early. 

Wrapping Up: Building a Community That Lasts

It’s easy to think of an alumni association as just another organizational task but really, it’s  weaving a living, breathing community that lasts. If you’re part of an institution looking to strengthen alumni ties, remember that it doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with a few dedicated people who care enough to keep the connection alive and grows through steady communication, thoughtful events, and genuine appreciation. 

Focus on creating a few moments that matter, a reunion that sparks old friendships, a mentoring session that changes a student’s path, or a simple thank-you note that reminds alumni they’re valued. That’s when alumni transition from “former students” to lifelong supporters, people who cheer you on, show up, and make a real impact.

If you’d like to make alumni engagement easier to manage and more personal, see how Almabase helps institutions stay connected with their graduates in meaningful ways.

Fundraising for educational institutions has always been a challenging landscape to navigate, but recent shifts have made it even harder to maintain momentum. The donor pipeline is shrinking, and major donors, many of whom are aging, are not being replaced. At the same time, younger generations of alumni remain disengaged, with many opting out of giving or not participating in the same ways as their predecessors.

As communication channels become increasingly crowded and competitive, educational institutions face the ongoing challenge of standing out in a noisy environment. However, one area of fundraising that remains underutilized, yet can play a significant role in differentiating appeals, is matching gifts.

By leveraging alumni matching gifts, educational institutions can significantly amplify the impact of each donor’s contribution, helping to close the gap between dwindling donor pools and the need for sustainable funding. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make the most of these programs’ potential. We’ll cover:

• Effective ways to boost alumni donations
• Understanding the matching gift opportunity
• Strategies to raise more with matching gifts

Interested in accessing the full insights this blog was inspired by? Register here to receive the on-demand recording of the presentation.

Let’s begin!

Effective ways to boost alumni donations

With the right strategies, school fundraisers can create an environment where alumni feel engaged, valued, and empowered to give. Let’s first lay the groundwork for successful alumni engagement here.

Building the foundation

The first step to raising more donations from alumni is building the foundation of a strong, connected network. It’s not enough to simply ask for donations once or twice a year; your alumni need to feel personally invested in your cause. In fact, alumni who are more engaged with their alma mater are 23 times more likely to give.

Creating meaningful connections is key, and there are many ways to do so. Community-building initiatives, mentorship programs, and volunteering opportunities not only foster these bonds but also open the door to new funding opportunities.

Optimizing every touchpoint

Once you've built a strong foundation, it's time to fine-tune your approach. Each interaction with your alumni, whether via email, social media, or through your website, should be optimized for maximum impact.

Data-Driven Targeting

The key to success in fundraising is understanding your audience. Use A/B testing to optimize subject lines, email content, and calls to action. By tracking alumni behavior on your website, you can identify warm leads and tailor your outreach for maximum effectiveness.

Mobile-First Experience

With over 50% of web traffic coming from mobile devices, optimizing your donation forms for mobile users is crucial. A mobile-friendly donation form, with pre-filled fields and a progress indicator, can increase conversion rates by up to 200%.

Strategic Campaigns

A well-rounded fundraising strategy should include more than just a generic appeal. Consider running micro-impact funds, gamifying donations, or launching re-engagement campaigns. Matching gifts are a key component of these strategies, as they create an immediate incentive for donors to give more.

Storytelling That Works

People give to causes they care about, and one of the most effective ways to connect with your alumni is through storytelling. Use the "Challenge → Impact → Hope" narrative arc to highlight the tangible outcomes of donations. For example, "15 students graduated debt-free because of your support" can show alumni exactly where their money is going.

Understanding the matching gift opportunity

One of the most underutilized tools in educational fundraising is matching gift programs. These corporate giving initiatives offer employees the opportunity to double their donations, multiplying the impact of their contributions.

What are corporate matching gifts?

Corporate matching gifts are employer-sponsored programs in which companies match the charitable contributions made by their employees. For example, if an alumnus donates $100 to your school, their employer may match that donation with another $100, effectively doubling the gift and allowing your institution to do more with the funds.

Matching gift program parameters

The specifics of matching gift programs can vary by company, but there are some common parameters to be aware of as you navigate these initiatives. These include:

• Institution Eligibility: Not all organizations are eligible to receive matching gifts, so it’s important to verify whether your nonprofit or school qualifies.
• Match Ratio: Most companies offer a 1:1 match, but some may offer 2:1 or even 3:1 ratios.
• Employee Eligibility: Typically, full-time employees are eligible, but some companies may also extend this benefit to part-time workers, retirees, or even spouses.
• Gift Amount: Many companies implement both a minimum and maximum amount for matching gifts, such as $25 to $5,000.
• Program Deadlines: Some programs have specific windows for matching gifts (such as six months or the end of the calendar year in which the initial gift was made), so it’s important to keep track of deadlines.

The more you know about a matching gift program, the better you can target donors who work for the company.

Companies that match donations to educational institutions

Many prominent companies offer matching gifts specifically to or including educational institutions, providing a valuable opportunity for your alumni to maximize their donations. 

Here’s a list of notable companies that match donations to higher education institutions like yours:

• Sherwin Williams
• General Electric
• Allstate Insurance
• Soros Fund Management
• Bank of America
• Deloitte
• Home Depot
• Microsoft
• IBM
• PepsiCo
• Johnson & Johnson
• Chevron
• Google

These companies represent just a few of the thousands that match employee donations to schools and other educational institutions. By encouraging alumni to check if their employer participates in a matching gift program, you can tap into additional resources to drive fundraising success.

Top tip: It's important to maintain an up-to-date list of companies offering matching gifts and provide an easy way for alumni to identify these opportunities. Consider integrating matching gift company databases directly into your donation forms and communications, so donors can quickly see if their employer is eligible for a match.

How can matching gifts boost alumni donations?

Matching gifts are a powerful way to amplify alumni donations without asking for more money from your donors. Here’s how they can significantly boost your fundraising efforts:

1. Increased Engagement: When alumni know their donations will be matched, they’re more likely to give. In fact, 84% of donors are increasingly inclined to donate if a match is offered, and 71% more donors respond to fundraising appeals mentioning matching.
2. Larger Contributions: Alumni and other donors often contribute more when matching gifts are available. One in three donors gives a larger donation if a match is offered, with the average donation amount increasing by 51%.
3. Doubling or Tripling Donations: Matching gift programs can effectively double or triple the impact of each donation, empowering institutions to raise more with the same donor pool.
4. Leverage Corporate Support: Matching gifts align with companies’ CSR efforts, and tapping into these programs helps build stronger corporate partnerships.

By promoting matching gifts within your overall fundraising strategy, you can significantly increase both the amount and engagement of alumni donations.

Organizations are still missing out. Where’s the disconnect?

Despite the clear benefits of matching gifts, many organizations are still missing out on this opportunity. A major reason for this is a lack of education and promotion. Only 7% of donors are aware that matching gift programs exist, and even fewer know how to apply for them.

Strategies to raise more with matching gifts

To fully leverage matching gifts and maximize their potential, fundraisers need to implement strategic tactics. These efforts will help ensure that alumni are aware of matching opportunities, motivated to participate, and supported throughout the process.

Educate donors on matching gifts.

The first step in boosting matching gift participation is educating your donors about the programs. Many alumni may not be aware that their employers offer matching gifts, or they might not know how to access this benefit. To bridge this gap, make sure to clearly communicate the value of matching gifts in all your fundraising materials.

Include matching gift information in your alumni communications, such as email newsletters, donation receipts, and event invitations. Remind alumni that their donations can go further without additional spending, which can incentivize them to engage.

Promote matching gifts on your website.

Your school’s website is one of the most important tools for promoting matching gifts. We recommend creating a dedicated landing page that explains how matching gifts work, provides a list of participating companies, and includes easy-to-follow instructions for how donors can claim a match.

Include matching gifts in the donation flow.

To ensure maximum participation, integrate matching gift opportunities directly into your donation page. When donors contribute online, include a prominent option for them to check if their employer offers matching gifts.

This ensures that matching gifts are top-of-mind as donors finalize their contributions.

Send matching gift emails at strategic times.

Send reminder emails shortly after donations are made to encourage alumni to take advantage of matching gift opportunities. These emails should include clear instructions and links to facilitate the process.

Follow-up emails should be sent periodically, especially if a donor has expressed interest in matching gifts but hasn't yet completed the submission.

Thank your matching gift donors.

Donor appreciation is a key factor in retaining donors and encouraging future contributions. Make sure to thank your donors promptly, and include a special thank-you for their matching gift contributions.

Not only should you thank them for their original gift, but also for the additional impact their employer’s match has made. Personalized acknowledgment of the matching gift will reinforce the donor’s positive experience and show them that their generosity, both as an individual and through their employer, has a significant effect.

Set up your team for matching gift success.

To ensure that your matching gift efforts are successful, your team needs to be well-prepared. Provide your staff with the necessary training and resources to effectively communicate with donors about matching gifts. Make sure everyone on the team understands the details of how matching gifts work and can guide donors through the process.

Further, implementing a matching gift tracking system can help streamline the process, ensuring that no matching gifts are overlooked. Consider using software like Double the Donation, which automates the process of identifying and tracking matching gifts, making it easier for your team to manage.

Matching gifts present a golden opportunity for fundraising organizations to significantly boost their alumni donations. This not only increases the amount raised but also strengthens relationships with alumni and corporate partners, fostering a deeper sense of engagement and commitment to the cause.

However, simply having a matching gift program in place isn't enough. To maximize the impact, you must take proactive steps to educate alumni, promote matching gifts at every touchpoint, and ensure the process is as seamless as possible. By integrating matching gift options into the donation flow, sending timely reminders, and expressing sincere gratitude for matching gifts, nonprofits and educational institutions alike can cultivate a more engaged and loyal donor base.

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Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are one of the fastest-growing giving channels for nonprofits and universities. Until now, accepting them on Almabase meant redirecting donors off the form, or worse, losing the gift altogether.

Today, that changes. 🎉

We’re excited to announce the launch of DAFpay on Almabase, powered by Chariot. Institutions can now offer DAF as a native payment option, right alongside Cards, ACH, PayPal, and Venmo. Donors complete their gift without ever leaving the form, while DAFpay automatically tracks fulfillment in the background. The result: higher conversion, cleaner data, and less admin work.

But the real impact comes from the fact that DAFpay expands giving potential. In Chariot’s 2025 DAF Fundraising Report, donors who began using a DAF to give to the same organization increased their annual support by a median of 100%, showing that DAFs meaningfully grow overall generosity.

That means every time you enable DAFpay, you’re not just making it easier to give, you’re unlocking access to significantly larger contributions that might have otherwise gone untapped.

Why we built DAFpay into Almabase

Here’s the reality: many donors already have money available in their Donor-Advised Fund, earmarked for giving. If they can’t use those funds easily on your page, chances are the gift never happens, because why would they dip into other accounts when they’ve already set aside tax-free dollars to give?

That’s the gap we wanted to close. We asked ourselves: what if giving through a DAF felt as natural as paying with a card or PayPal?

That’s exactly what DAFpay does. Powered by *Chariot, it shows up as a payment option right inside your Almabase giving forms. Donors use the funds they’ve already set aside, without ever leaving your page, and Almabase tracks the gift automatically in the background.

At the end of the day, we built DAFpay into Almabase because we don’t want institutions to lose donors, and we don’t want donors to feel excluded just because they prefer giving through their DAF.

What this means for your institution

For institutions, DAFpay is more than just another payment method; it’s a way to align with your constituents’ giving preferences and expand your total giving pool.

By offering multiple payment options, Cards, ACH, PayPal, Venmo, and now DAFs, Almabase enables institutions to meet donors where they are, leading to higher conversion rates and larger average gift amounts.

When donors can give through their preferred method, everyone wins: you increase participation, streamline fulfillment, and make generosity frictionless.

What this means for your donors

Think about it this way: sometimes a donor wants to give, but the process gets in the way. Maybe they’ve already set aside money in a Donor-Advised Fund, but actually moving that gift feels clunky or confusing. With DAFpay, that hesitation disappears.

Now, when someone resonates with your cause, they can act on it right away without detours, redirects, or second-guessing.

Here’s what they experience:

• No detours → They stay right on your page, from start to finish.
• Familiar checkout → DAF shows up right next to Cards, ACH, Venmo, and PayPal.
• Peace of mind → They see exactly when their gift is initiated and when it’s received.

The bottom line: it’s giving without friction.

How it all comes together

Enabling DAFpay is simple. Institutions complete a quick onboarding with Chariot, and once connected, “DAF” appears as a native payment method right inside your Almabase giving forms.

From there, donors can choose DAF the same way they’d pick Card or PayPal. Gifts are tracked automatically in Almabase, with statuses updating in real time, so admins always know whether a grant is initiated, received, or cancelled, without touching a spreadsheet.

Recurring monthly gifts are also supported. The first gift shows up in Almabase, while future cycles are seamlessly handled through the donor’s DAF portal.

Ready to get started?

Philanthropy works best when generosity meets simplicity. Donors shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to support the causes they already believe in, and institutions shouldn’t lose gifts because of outdated workflows.

That’s why DAFpay matters. It bridges the gap between intent and action, helping donors use the funds they’ve already set aside, while giving your team a cleaner, smarter way to track every gift.

With DAFpay on Almabase, giving through Donor-Advised Funds no longer feels like the exception, it becomes just another effortless choice.

👉 Get started with DAFpay today and make giving feel as simple as it should.

Disclaimer - Chariot is a financial technology company, not a bank. Chariot Deposit Accounts are a Demand Deposit Account through our banking services partner, Column, N.A., Member FDIC. Deposits in Chariot Deposit Accounts are eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, for each insurable capacity in which the account is held.

GivingTuesday is a critical day for all fundraising organizations, including higher education development teams. This global generosity movement provides an opportunity to engage various donor segments, from alumni to parents to friends of the university, and kick off the year-end giving season with excitement and momentum.

However, for your university’s GivingTuesday campaign to succeed, you also need to practice proper financial management. It can be tempting to dive straight into planning your fundraisers and trying to maximize revenue without considering upfront costs or contingency plans, but you’ll be more likely to achieve your goals if you consider financial aspects as you lay out your strategy.

Let’s look at three tips for integrating financial planning into your higher ed institution’s GivingTuesday strategy so you can boost your fundraising success—responsibly.

1. Create a Campaign Budget

Your university likely creates several different types of budgets to lay out projected revenue and expenses for its annual operations, departmental or program-specific needs, and capital campaigns. You’ll likely also find fundraising campaign budgets helpful, especially when planning large-scale initiatives like GivingTuesday. This budget details the upfront costs associated with your fundraiser and explains how you’ll fund those expenses.

The old saying “you have to spend money to make money” rings true with fundraising. Your university might put resources toward the following expenditures as you plan for GivingTuesday:

• Fundraising software, whether you want to upgrade your existing donor management and engagement tools or add specialized solutions to your toolkit for certain aspects of your campaign (peer-to-peer fundraising, virtual events, etc.)
• Event planning—while software will be your main virtual event expense, you may need to budget for equipment rentals, catering, decorations, and similar aspects of in-person events, as well as format-specific costs (e.g., auction items or walkathon t-shirts).
• Marketing communications across your university’s website, social media, email, SMS, direct mail, flyers, paid advertising, and other channels so you can reach as many potential donors as possible.
• Payments to outsourced professionals, such as fundraising consultants who assist with campaign strategy, freelance graphic designers who create marketing materials, or financial advisors who provide a third-party perspective on your budget and reports.

On the revenue side of your budget, securing sponsorships and marketing grants can help you cover some of these campaign expenses, but you’ll mostly need to use other unrestricted funding sources (i.e., contributions that donors didn’t designate for specific purposes). Additionally, ensure your total expenses are significantly lower than your fundraising goal to allow for a positive return on investment (ROI) on GivingTuesday.

2. Diversify Your GivingTuesday Revenue

Like with general fundraising, it isn’t a good idea to put all of your revenue generation eggs in one basket for your university’s GivingTuesday campaign. As Jitasa’s guide to GivingTuesday best practices explains, “By generating revenue in multiple ways, you’ll be more likely to reach your goal. You’ll engage more supporters with different giving preferences and have a stronger safety net [for achieving that positive ROI] in case one source falls short of expectations.”

Here are a few ideas for diversifying your GivingTuesday funding, organized according to the major categories of revenue for exempt organizations:

• Individual donations: These contributions will probably make up the bulk of your GivingTuesday funds, but you can generate them in many ways, from sending out fundraising letters to running crowdfunding campaigns to creating a unique GivingTuesday text-to-give keyword. Event revenue also bridges this category and the earned income category, since you may collect donations while also selling tickets, merchandise, refreshments, auction prizes, or other items.
• Corporate philanthropy: Besides securing corporate sponsorships, which are especially useful for financing events, you can also leverage programs like matching gifts, volunteer grants, and internal employee fundraising efforts at your donors’ workplaces to get local businesses involved in your GivingTuesday campaign.
• Earned income: Designing and selling a special line of branded merchandise is the most straightforward way for higher ed institutions to generate earned income on GivingTuesday, although other forms of product fundraising are also possible, especially if specific programs take them on.
• Investments and grants: The only easily applicable revenue options to Giving Tuesday in these categories are the aforementioned marketing grants and challenge grants, where a high-impact supporter (whether it’s a major donor, company, or foundation) pledges to donate a specific amount once your university hits a fundraising target. However, it’s always a good idea to check on your long-term grants and investments at year-end, and GivingTuesday planning can serve as a reminder to do so!

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Many community members also like getting involved with the organizations and causes they support in non-monetary ways on GivingTuesday, such as through volunteering, advocacy, or in-kind contributions. Ensure these avenues are open to your university’s supporters so you can benefit from different types of support and engage more individuals in your efforts. 

3. Track Data Throughout the Campaign

Well before GivingTuesday, you should have systems in place to track various types of data on your campaign—revenue generated, expenses incurred, participation in each aspect of the day, marketing conversions, supporter feedback, and any other insights you may find useful. Doing so allows you to:

• Evaluate your success. Concrete numbers let you know whether you achieved your goals and provide some insights into why you got those results. Then, you can use your analysis to capitalize on your strengths and improve where necessary as you plan for future GivingTuesdays.
• Demonstrate impact. Including GivingTuesday statistics in your follow-up messages to supporters, your university’s annual report, and future campaign marketing materials (e.g., using messaging like “We raised a historic $25,000 last GivingTuesday—will you help us break our record again this year?”) can boost your higher ed fundraising team’s credibility and inspire more contributions down the line.
• Report your university’s finances. You’ll need organized records of your GivingTuesday spending and revenue generation for your accountants to create accurate financial statements and file annual tax returns for your institution.

Make sure to practice good data hygiene (i.e., keep your records organized and free of extraneous or inconsistent information) and integrate your software (e.g., connecting your donor database to your fundraising and accounting tools) to make the collection and analysis processes as seamless as possible.

Wrapping it up

Planning a higher ed GivingTuesday campaign requires managing many moving parts, including its financial impacts. But by adapting the tips above to your university’s unique needs and goals, you’ll be well on your way to making this global fundraising day the best one yet for your team.

Giving Tuesday has become one of the most significant fundraising moments of the year, with organizations worldwide mobilizing their communities to give back. For educational institutions, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with alumni, celebrate school spirit, and fund programs that directly impact students. The average email open rate on Giving Tuesday 2024 was 21.56%, with a click-through rate of 2.57%, indicating strong donor engagement via email campaigns.

In this blog, we’ll explore ten real-world Giving Tuesday email examples from schools and nonprofits, examine what makes them effective, and share practical tips you can use to boost donor engagement this year.

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What is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It began in 2012 as a social movement encouraging people to do good, and has since grown into a worldwide event involving individuals, nonprofits, and educational institutions. It evolved as a response to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, inviting individuals and organizations to give back to causes they care about.

For schools and universities, it’s a moment to also celebrate community impact, highlight student stories, and engage alumni around shared values. Campaigns that tie giving to real outcomes, such as scholarships, research opportunities, or student welfare, tend to resonate the most.

10 Giving Tuesday Emails that Boost Donor Response

1. The countdown email

Countdown emails are a great way to not just promote your cause but also to inform your potential donors of your upcoming plans for Giving Tuesday. You should ideally have multiple emails (30 days away, 14 days away, 7 days away, etc. for example) as the day gets closer. This is also particularly great if you have an in-person or online event attached to your event.

💡If you are planning an event, add a button that allows your recipient to add the event to their calendar.

2. The thank-you email

A core part of any fundraiser, thank-you emails are nowadays a necessity. You can keep it simple with a personalized thank you note, or you can provide readers with the opportunity to find resources they might like, join communities and events with like-minded people, or see how their donations will be used in the future.

3. The personal story email

Personal stories are a great way to tell heartfelt and impactful stories to inspire giving. You can zoom in on an individual’s story to give your recipients a glimpse into the lives they are impacting through their gift. Remember that when it comes to raising funds, you can never underestimate the impact of a powerful story.

4. Emails with videos

Whether it’s a simple hyperlinked thumbnail or an embedded video, giving your readers more to go on beyond just words can go a long way in setting your ask apart. Since it’s possible for certain email clients or apps to block embedded media, it would probably be best to do this for contacts that are already in touch such as past donors or active alumni members.

5. Community-focused emails

If your Giving Tuesday fundraiser has a strong connection to particular chapters, affinity groups, or geography locations, you can center your emails around building a supportive community aligned to common causes. The goal is to make donors feel like they can be a part of a bigger family of like-minded supporters.

6. Impact-focused emails

You can highlight the support you’ve garnered and how that has translated into real-world impact in your emails. Think graphs, journeys, percentages, and impact numbers that give your recipients confidence in how their contributions will be used.

7. Matching gift announcements

Matching gifts not only increase your funds raised but also inspire giving from eligible potential donors. This email should be sent just before or as the campaign launches, prominently featuring the match to create urgency and double the perceived impact of a donation.

8. Recurring gift email

Targeting your most engaged one-time donors, this email focuses on the power of a monthly donation to create sustained, long-term impact. Highlight the total annual impact of a small monthly gift and explain why sustained funding is critical to your long-term mission.

9. A non-monetary ask

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Not everyone can donate, but they can still help. This email encourages advocates to share the campaign with their network or contribute in equally important ways. Leverage your existing community for peer-to-peer sharing and invite volunteers to help out.

10. The results update email

After your thank you email, the next email you send should probably have something to do with how your Giving Tuesday went, including key numbers such as how many funds were raised, some key shoutouts, and of course, a couple of words of gratitude. These are just the basics and your institution or organization’s own email can be as minimal or as detailed as you need it to be.

Tips for Writing Effective Giving Tuesday Emails

While inspiration matters, execution drives results. Here are tested ways to strengthen your Giving Tuesday emails:

1. Segment your audience.
Avoid sending the same message to everyone. Segment by alumni, parents, students, or past donors. Alumni may respond better to nostalgic stories, while parents might engage more with student success narratives.

2. Personalize your message.
Use merge tags to include names, past donation amounts, or causes supported. Referencing a donor’s previous impact (“Your gift last year helped fund...”) can increase click-through rates and repeat giving.

3. Make your CTA unmistakable.
Your call-to-action button should be clear, visible, and direct: “Give Now”, “Support Students Today”, or “Double Your Impact”. Keep the design mobile-friendly, as most users read these emails on their phones.

4. Mobile-first design.
Design emails primarily for smartphones since most recipients check messages on mobile devices. A clean, responsive layout ensures readability and higher engagement.

5. Short, urgent subject lines.
Keep subject lines short and use action-oriented language, e.g., “Match alert: Give by noon to double your impact!” This grabs attention and encourages quick action.

6. Clear impact statements.
Show donors exactly what their contributions accomplish. Concrete examples, like “$25 provides one week of meals for a student”,make giving tangible and motivating.

How Almabase Empowers Schools & Universities for Giving Tuesday

Running a Giving Tuesday campaign shouldn't feel like juggling ten different tools at once. That's where Almabase comes in. It brings your communication, donations, and reporting together in one streamlined platform, so your advancement team can focus on what matters most: connecting with donors.

You can segment your alumni by class year, giving history, or engagement level, then craft messages that actually speak to them. And because Almabase syncs seamlessly with systems like Blackbaud RE NXT, every gift is tracked automatically: no manual entry, no spreadsheet chaos.

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Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the best Giving Tuesday campaigns feel genuine. They're clear about their goals, relevant to their audience, and authentic in their ask.

Before launch day, test your subject lines, preview your emails on mobile, and schedule follow-ups for the week after. With thoughtful planning and the right tools, your Giving Tuesday campaign can do more than raise funds and strengthen your school’s community for years to come.

The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) was founded in 1877 and is home to ~2,500 students and a global community of over 33,000 alumni across 57 countries. Their 40 member advancement team hosts notable events and initiatives such as Giving Days, Life after RISD, Family Weekends, etc.

Over the last several months, Almabase has been helping RISD solve some long-standing issues to provide a smooth alumni engagement platform for staff and alumni alike. In this blog, we’ll be revisiting a wonderful conversation we had with RISD’s  Director of Advancement Data and Services, Rob Odoardi on how Almabase solved some of their biggest issues.

The Challenge: Fragmented Engagement and Scattered Data

Like many educational institutions, RISD’s alumni engagement systems did not truly reflect the unity of its community.With each team, including advancement, career services, and academic departments, working independently .This meant that data was fragmented and existed on multiple systems, leading to duplicate records with no single unified viewpoint for alumni data. Alumni often received the same forms and emails multiple times, and their experiences with events and fundraisers were often discouraging due to clunky processes. 

To alleviate these problems, teams spent hours fixing spreadsheets and reconciling duplicate entries. What should have been time spent building relationships became an exercise in maintenance.

RISD needed a platform that could consolidate information, streamline collaboration, and give every team a clear picture of alumni interactions in real time.

Searching for Simplicity

When the advancement data services team began evaluating options, they were essentially looking for less friction. The goal was to unify engagement data and have it flow seamlessly without disrupting daily work or requiring heavy technical support.

Almabase’s integrated approach stood out immediately. The platform combined digital engagement, event management, and fundraising modules within a single environment. More importantly, it allowed institutions to deploy and operate the system without coding knowledge or complex integrations. For a team that valued creativity over configuration, the ability to plug in and start using it quickly was key.

The decision came down to one simple idea: technology should empower teams to engage more, not spend more time managing tools.

The Almabase Difference

Almabase enabled RISD to bring all alumni engagement activity under one roof. Every event registration, donation, or interaction now flows into a unified data layer, automatically syncing with the school’s advancement CRM. This means that when an alum attends a reunion or participates in a mentorship program, the information updates across all systems instantly.

The platform’s no-code setup allowed RISD’s staff to create campaigns, segment audiences, and design events through simple drag-and-drop interfaces. Tasks that once required IT support became self-service. The result was faster execution, fewer delays, and a renewed focus on what mattered most: engaging alumni.

This essentially boiled down to achieving:

• A single platform for events, giving, communications, and engagement.
• A single source of truth: All alumni activity flows into a central dashboard and is synced to Raiser’s Edge NXT (or RE NXT) using TrueSync
• Detailed real-time engagement data: Event attendances, giving patterns, and community interactions in one place
• Cohesive alumni journeys: Vision on how alumni moved across events, giving, and affinity groups instead of incomplete snapshots from siloed data.
• Automated RSVPs, reminders, and QR-code check-ins
• Time and energy saved to allow focus on strategy and impact
• Smarter decisions: Data-informed alumni engagement strategies to identify high-engagement opportunities, optimize outreach, and personalize experiences 

Transitioning to new technology often raises concerns about complexity and adoption. RISD’s experience was quite the opposite. With Almabase’s dedicated onboarding support, implementation followed a structured and low-stress process.

Changes in Action

1. RISD Giving Day 2025

One of RISD’s first fundraisers in partnership with Almabase was their ‘RISD Giving Day 2025’ which was a major success. 

Together with Almabase, they were able to:

• Bring in 319 gifts from alumni, faculty, staff, family and friends
• Bring in support from 2 major matching gift challenges
• Personalize email campaigns to achieve a 60.9% open rate
• Implement easy sharing through leaderboards, tributes, and “invite a friend” tools
• Track gifts and challenges in real-time
• Sync gift data automatically to RE NXT through TrueSync

2. Life after RISD

Life after RISD is an initiative to provide future graduates with necessary tools, knowledge, networks, experiences, advice,  guidance, and habits that will shorten students’ time to launch into their chosen fields.

Through Almabase’s Digital Engagement module, RISD was able to create a hub that allowed them to launch:

• Webinars for professional preparedness
• Alumni mentoring at scale
• Networking opportunities (regional + affinity)
• Tailored career resources such as job boards, internships, and entrepreneurship support

The initiative is seeing great reception, with the class of 2025 in particular being the most engaged users.

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These are just a couple of instances to highlight the simple yet fundamental improvements that Almabase brings to the table. We continue to work with RISD on many other initiatives, events, and essential features that their alumni and donors may appreciate.

The Impact: From Manual Work to Meaningful Relationships

RISD’s transformation can be summarized in three outcomes: efficiency, clarity, and connection.

1. Efficiency that Scales

Manual data transfer and reconciliation were eliminated. Information from events, communications, and donations now syncs automatically, saving staff countless hours each month. Those hours are redirected toward creative initiatives and relationship building.

2. Clear and Actionable Insights

Unified data has given leadership visibility into engagement across departments. Reports that once took days can now be generated in minutes, allowing faster strategic decisions and better forecasting of fundraising potential.

3. Stronger Alumni Engagement

With barriers removed, teams can now design targeted and personalized outreach campaigns. Alumni receive consistent communication, while RISD gains a clearer picture of how individuals interact with the institution over time.

This is more than a technology success. It is an operational transformation that supports RISD’s mission of nurturing lifelong connections within its creative community.

What Institutions can learn from RISD’s journey

RISD’s journey reflects a broader shift in educational advancement. Institutions depend on accurate and easily accessible data to cultivate donors, engage alumni, and build communities that last. Their journey with Almabase highlights some key learning points:

1. Simplify before you scale. Streamlining existing processes often produces faster results than adopting multiple new tools.
2. Empower non-technical teams. Platforms designed for ease of use accelerate adoption and unlock creative capacity.
3. Giving has evolved. Your donor’s gifting experience and features such as matching gifts, leaderboards, easily shareable campaigns, and personalized email reminders are all integral to modern giving culture.
4. Let data guide collaboration. Centralized engagement metrics eliminate duplication and encourage cross-department alignment.
5. Improve upon feedback. Initiatives like Life after RISD are an example of taking feedback and going one step further to truly impress constituents.

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Wrapping it up

We had a lovely time catching up with Rob and RISD’s journey with us. If you would like to listen to the full conversation, we’ve provided a recording you can watch as well as a link to it below! 🤗

→ How Rhode Island School of Design Built an Integrated Alumni Experience

While a well-attended alumni event is a victory in itself, the true value for an institution lies in what happens next. The ultimate goal of alumni engagement is to foster a relationship that translates into lasting support, and events are a powerful catalyst in this process. Research confirms a strong correlation between event attendance and giving; according to RNL's 2024 National Alumni Survey, alumni who participate in events are 2.5 times more likely to donate compared to those who don't attend.

This makes the immediate post-event period an unmissable window of opportunity for advancement teams. Yet, it’s all too easy for that momentum to dissolve as everyone’s fatigued from planning and executing  the event to immediately start work on the next.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach in fundraising or alumni relations and each institution’s culture and alumni base is unique, here’s a simple, actionable playbook that’s helped advancement teams like yours keep alumni engaged and turn great events into deeper commitment and support. Adapt, personalize and experiment while keeping these simple tips in mind  as a flexible foundation.

Post-Event Follow-up Playbook:

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Step 1. Send a Timely Personalized Thank You (within 24 hours): A timely, personalized thank-you message makes attendees feel valued. A video message is better than a generic email. Even just a quick video shot on phone can be a great personalized touch. Consider using texting as an alternate channel to email. Aim to send these out to all attendees within 24 hours of the event.

✉️Email Template

‍Subject: Thank you for joining us at [Event Name]!

Hi [First Name],
Thank you so much for being a part of our recent [Event Name]! Your presence made the day truly special for everyone at Example University.

We loved having you back on campus (or seeing you virtually) and hope you enjoyed reconnecting with classmates and friends.

If you have a moment, reply to this email and tell us your favorite part of the event. Thanks again for being such an important part of the Example University family.

Warm wishes,
[Your Name]
Advancement Team, Example University

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📽️Video Script Template (30–45 seconds):

Hi [First Name],
I’m [Your Name] from Example University.

I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for joining us at [Event Name] here at Example University. It was so wonderful to see you reconnecting with classmates and enjoying the [mention a highlight—e.g., keynote, activity, or fun moment].
Your presence made the day truly memorable for us. We’re grateful to have you as part of our alumni family and look forward to staying connected.
Thanks again for being with us—and see you at the next one!
Take care.

📱Text Message Template
Hi [First Name]! This is [Your Name] from Example University.

Thank you for joining us at [Event Name]—it wouldn’t have been the same without you. Hope you had a great time! If you have any photos or favorite moments to share, just reply to this message.

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Step 2. Share Event Highlights on social media (within 2 days): Capitalize on the post-event buzz by sharing photos, video clips, and testimonials across your digital channels. Tagging attendees (with permission) and encouraging them to share their own content extends the event's reach and reinforces the sense of community. This visual recap serves as both a fond memory for attendees and a promotional tool for future events.

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Step 3. Ask for feedback and listen (within 5 days): A couple of days later, send a short survey to gather feedback on the event experience. In addition to questions about logistics and programming, include a question to gauge their philanthropic interests, such as, "Which university initiatives are you most passionate about supporting?" This provides valuable data for future, personalized fundraising appeals. Showing alumni that you are acting on their feedback builds trust and makes them feel heard.

✉️Email Template
Subject: Help us make your next Example University event even better

Hi [First Name],
We’d love your feedback! Your experience matters to us and helps shape future events at Example University.
Would you take 2 minutes to fill out this quick survey? ([Survey Link])
P.S. Is there a cause or program at Example University that inspires you? Let us know at the end of the survey—we want to make our alumni programs even more meaningful for you!

Thank you so much for your input,

[Your Name]
Advancement Team, Example University

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Step 4. Offer them value (following week): Go beyond the event by actively connecting alumni to resources, programs, or information relevant to their interests and life stage through segmented, personalized communication. For example: graduates of the last decade might appreciate career development webinars, mid-career alumni could be interested in industry networking or continuing education, while older alumni may enjoy mentoring opportunities or exclusive campus updates. Curate and deliver value based on what each group cares about most, keeping your institution top of mind beyond just the event.

Email Template

✉️ Subject: Stay connected - opportunities just for you

Hi [First Name],
At Example University, we want to be part of your journey—no matter where life takes you!
Here are some ways to stay connected this season:
• Recent grads: Join our next career development workshop ([date/link])
•Mid-career alumni: Register for our professional networking series
•Senior alumni: Discover volunteer and mentorship opportunities
Check out more events and exclusive resources here: [Link]

Let us know how you’d like to be more involved. We’re excited to grow with you!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Advancement Team, Example University

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Step 5. Make an ask (a few days later):

Don’t let the momentum fade—when the time is right, invite alumni to take the next step with a targeted ask. Direct them to a customized online giving page that reflects the theme or purpose of the event (for example, supporting scholarships if the event honored student achievements). Personalize the ask based on what you’ve learned about their interests and past engagement, wherever possible. Show them how their gift—large or small—will make a tangible difference in a cause that resonates with them. It’s also particularly useful for those that have made a donation in the past to be acknowledged again.

✉️Email Template (for those who have never made a donation to your institution)
Subject: Continue the [Event Name] Spirit—Support What Matters to You

Hi [First Name],

Thank you for your continued connection to Example University.If you were inspired by [highlight/story from event] and want to help [cause/theme, e.g., “future students achieve their dreams”], I invite you to visit your personal giving page: [Custom giving link]
No gift is too small—your generosity makes all the difference! Thank you for being a champion for Sample University.

With appreciation,
[Your Name]
Advancement Team,
Sample University

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✉️Email Template (for those who have made at least one gift before)
Subject: Continue the Legacy - Support [Initiative/Event Theme] at Example University

Hi [First Name],

We’re so grateful for your past generosity and for joining us at [Event Name]. Your support has already created new opportunities for our students and campus community.

Because you care deeply about [previous fund/support area or reference their prior gift if possible], we wanted to let you know about a special opportunity to make an even greater impact. This time, your support for [specific initiative or theme connected to event] can [briefly mention anticipated outcome, e.g., “help award five new scholarships”].

If you’d like to continue your tradition of giving, you can make your gift here: [Personalized Giving Link]

Thank you again for everything you do for Example University. Together, we’re building a legacy that lasts for generations.

With gratitude,
[Your Name]
Advancement Team,
Example University

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How Almabase helps you maximize post-event engagement

Almabase’s guest communication tools allow you to create personalized emails for all your post-event engagement needs.

The events module allows you plan your email communications ahead of time, leading to an automated yet personalized experience for your attendees before, during, and after your event.

Our recently introduced Emily AI also allows you to effortlessly craft amazing emails with just a few prompts in minutes. Perfect for when you’ve got your attendee segments in place and want to focus on cultivating your relationships with donors and attendees from past events without the hassle of designing emails from scratch.

Almabase also allows provides text and video messages, making your update alerts and storytelling efforts as streamlined or meticulous as you need them to be.  Almabase offers a great toolbox to help you get started with post-event engagement. This is just a very brief glimpse at what Almabase has to offer, and combined with streamlined engagement reports, consent collection, and native two-way data sync with Raiser’s Edge NXT (RE NXT).

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Wrapping it up

Remember, even a simple, thoughtful follow-up can set your institution apart and turn meaningful moments into lasting relationships. By adapting this playbook to fit your alumni community and celebrating what makes them unique, you’ll not only increase engagement and support, but also foster a true sense of pride and belonging. Start small, keep it genuine, and you’ll be amazed by the connections and generosity that follow.

If your institutiion or nonprofit has been thinking of expanding its digital strategy, an online fundraiser is a great place to start. It’s a particularly powerful tool for schools and higher education institutions to engage local communities and alumni groups. But success requires more than just setting up a donation page and waiting for contributions to roll in.

In an increasingly noisy digital landscape, fundraising professionals at schools and campuses must work harder than ever to capture attention and inspire action. So how can you tell if you’re on the right track? Let’s discuss five signs that your online fundraiser will drive the engagement you need to build momentum and drive meaningful support.

1. Your Campaign Has a Clear, Compelling Purpose

If your audience doesn’t immediately understand what your campaign is about and why it matters, they’re not likely to engage further. A clear purpose is the first indicator that you’ll capture and earn support. 

Start by defining your fundraising goals using the SMART framework: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Describe how you’ll use the funds so potential donors immediately understand your campaign's impact.

For instance, if your Christian school needs funding to purchase curriculum materials for its summer Bible school, your goal might be: “We want to raise $2,500 by next March through our online fundraising campaign to fund our purchase of curriculum materials for our summer school, which starts next July.”

Then, weave this purpose throughout all of your campaign materials. Your community members and supporters should understand why you’re hosting your campaign when they check out your donation page, open your emails, or interact with your online fundraiser.

2. You’re Using Visuals That Inspire

Canva’s report on visual communication reported that 91% of survey respondents believe visuals communicate better than text, and 76% reported losing interest in text-heavy content. This study suggests that your messaging will gain more traction when it incorporates visual storytelling to communicate emotion and legitimacy.

Here are a few ways to incorporate inspiring visuals into your campaign materials:

• Use branded templates or simple design tools to keep your campaign page and marketing materials cohesive, consistent, and polished. Incorporate your brand colors, logo, and verbal messaging components so viewers instantly know they’re looking at a trustworthy communication from your organization.
• Feature high-quality photos and videos of students, campus life, or alumni events to make your cause feel relatable and real. For example, if your campaign supports eco-friendly initiatives on campus, you might include photos and videos of your last school shoe drive fundraiser.
• Highlight community involvement to boost credibility and encourage participation. You can include alumni testimonials and donor quotes, and even create spotlights for influential donors who have already stepped up to support your online fundraiser.

You’ve likely created plenty of campaign materials for previous online or in-person fundraisers. Evaluate the success of these materials and recreate or reuse them, if possible, to spark further engagement. For example, if you’ve noticed that your community reacts best to a specific email template or flyer design, reuse that for your online campaigns.

3. Your Donation Process Is Seamless

Unlike in-person fundraisers, which allow donors to give through various means (including cash and check), online fundraisers rely entirely on your online donation page. As Funds2Orgs says, “This page serves as the foundation of your digital approach, as it is where you’ll drive traffic to any of your school’s fundraising campaigns.”

Your online donation process should be friction-free to encourage donors to give without becoming discouraged. Follow these best practices to create a smooth experience:

• Keep the form short by asking only for essential information.
• Provide multiple payment options, including credit cards, debit cards, ACH, and e-checks.
• Ensure your donation page and forms are easy to navigate on mobile devices.
• Avoid design elements that load slowly or look cluttered on small screens.
• Make sure confirmation and receipt emails are prompt and personalized.
• Comply with web accessibility guidelines so everyone can access your page.

Remember to add call-to-action (CTA) elements, such as buttons and banners, throughout your educational institution’s website and communications to guide web visitors to your donation page. The easier it is for your community to get to your donation page, the more likely you’ll raise the funds your mission needs.

4. Your Supporters Know How to Get Involved Beyond Donating

Although the goal of every fundraiser is to generate revenue, not all of your supporters will be open to donating for various reasons, such as financial troubles or donor fatigue. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to help you. Inspire greater engagement through your online fundraiser by outlining alternative ways for your community members to get involved with your mission and build energy around your campaign.

Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Embed simple share buttons onto your donation page with pre-written messages for popular social media platforms.
• Encourage alumni to serve as fundraising ambassadors or class champions.
• Include opportunities for local business sponsorships or alumni group collaborations.
• List upcoming volunteer opportunities and direct supporters to sign up.
• Invite them to future school fundraising events or community engagement activities.

Your online fundraiser presents a valuable opportunity to deepen relationships, so don’t squander it! Even if a supporter doesn’t want to donate today, that doesn’t mean they won’t be open to the idea in the future. Keep them involved in your mission and show them the value you offer their students to secure their support in the future.

5. You’ve Mapped Out a Multi-Channel Promotion Plan

Campaigns that drive results don’t just happen—they require clear communication across various channels. A strong promotion plan also builds momentum with timely reminders, urgency messaging, and public recognition.

Your marketing communications should span multiple channels. Here are a few ideas to maximize your online fundraiser’s marketing reach:

• Use email, social media, and alumni portals to announce campaign updates.
• Schedule reminders and milestones to re-engage your audience.
• Tailor messaging to different segments (e.g., current parents, recent grads, or longtime alumni).
• Highlight top donor classes or most active alumni volunteers.
• Celebrate campaign wins with thank-you videos or a digital wall of fame.

For best results, you can also create a sense of urgency by adding countdown timers, using deadline-driven messaging, or promoting limited-time matching or challenge gifts. These practices reinforce the importance of your campaign and emphasize your upcoming deadline, inspiring donors to give now.

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Wrapping it up

If your online fundraiser checks these boxes, you’re on the right track to building a campaign that connects emotionally, moves people to act, and strengthens alumni ties. But don’t stop there—set up a system for tracking your campaign data so that post-campaign, you can learn which channels drove the most engagement, what messages resonated, and where you can refine your approach for next time.