Build lifelong relationships

For nonprofits and institutions looking to raise funds, every dollar counts. So what if you could double or even triple your donations without asking your supporters to give more? That’s the power of matching gifts. Despite the enormous potential of corporate matching gift programs, billions of dollars in eligible donations go unclaimed each year. Why? Donors either don’t know their gifts can be matched or don’t know how to complete the process.

Integrating matching gifts into your fundraising campaigns is one of the most effective ways to increase revenue, deepen donor engagement, and amplify impact. But it doesn’t happen by accident—it requires strategy, timing, and the right tools.

Below, we’re sharing 10 actionable tips to help your team fully leverage matching gifts in your fundraising efforts. Let’s begin!

1. Educate Your Team First

Before you can promote matching gifts to donors, it’s essential that your internal team understands how they work. From development staff to communications professionals, everyone should be familiar with the basics of corporate matching gift programs.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to hold a short training session or workshop to explain:

• What matching gifts are;
• How to find out if a donor’s company matches gifts;
• What information donors need to submit;
• How your organizaiton processes matching gifts.

When your team is well-versed in all things matching, they can confidently communicate the opportunity to donors and answer questions effectively as they arise.

2. Identify and Promote Matching Gift Eligible Donors

Many organizations send out generalized appeals without knowing which donors work for matching gift companies. That’s a missed opportunity. Using tools like matching gift software or employer appends, you can identify where your donors work and flag those who are likely eligible for a match.

Once identified, tailor your messaging for each individual. For example, after a donation is made, you can send a targeted follow-up like: "Thanks for your gift! Did you know your employer, XYZ Corporation, may match your donation? Here’s how you can double your impact in just a few clicks."

Personalized messaging increases the likelihood that donors will follow through, and makes it even easier for them to do so.

3. Integrate Matching Gift Tools into Your Donation Form

The fewer steps a donor has to take, the better. By embedding matching gift tools directly into your donation form, you make it easy for donors to check their eligibility and start the matching process instantly.

Software like Double the Donation (which integrates seamlessly with your Almabase fundraising tools) allows donors to search for their employer as they’re making a gift. It even provides forms, guidelines, and contact information in real time, streamlining the process dramatically.

This simple integration has been shown to significantly increase match completion rates and grow fundraising revenue with ease.

4. Use Automated Email Follow-Ups

Even if a donor skips the matching gift process during checkout, you can still guide them afterward. Automated email follow-ups are a highly effective way to remind donors about their match eligibility.

Consider setting up a series of emails timed to go out after a gift is made. Here’s an example sequence:

• Day 1: Thank-you email with a soft mention of matching gifts.
• Day 3–5: Dedicated matching gift eligibility reminder
• Week 2: Case study or testimonial showcasing how matching gifts create real-world impact.
• Week 3–4: Final reminder with clear, simple steps.

In each message, make sure the language is friendly, encouraging, and focused on impact. Include clickable buttons or links to company lookup tools to remove friction and drive supporters through the process.

5. Create a Matching Gift Landing Page

Your organization’s website is an essential resource. Hosting a dedicated landing page for matching gifts can serve as a central hub for all your related outreach efforts.

For the best results, this page should:

• Explain what matching gifts are;
• Include an embedded company search tool;
• Provide instructions and FAQs to help donors get started.

From there, you’ll want to link to this page from your main website navigation, donation forms, confirmation/thank-you pages, email footers, and social media posts. In other words, make it easy for donors to find and refer back to when they’re ready to learn more or initiate a match.

6. Highlight Matching Gifts in All Your Campaigns

Matching gifts shouldn’t be an afterthought—they should be baked into the DNA of your campaigns.

Whether you’re running a year-end appeal, Giving Tuesday initiative, peer-to-peer fundraiser, or capital campaign, consistently highlighting matching opportunities goes a long way. Phrases like:

• “Double your donation at no extra cost!”
• “Your gift could go twice as far.”
• “Check if your company will match your generosity.”

…can prompt curiosity and inspire action.

Add matching gift language and tools to appeal letters, emails, event materials, digital ads, and more. Repetition helps donors absorb the message, making them more likely to participate when the time comes.

7. Work Matching Gifts into Donor Stewardship

Acknowledging and stewarding donors doesn’t end after the first thank-you. In fact, you can build stronger relationships by keeping them informed about the matching gift process.

If a donor completes a match request, send a separate thank-you noting their extra effort and impact. If their match is received, send a special acknowledgment with updated gift totals and a story about what that additional funding made possible.

You can even tag matched donors in your CRM and invite them into higher-touch stewardship journeys or giving circles, reinforcing their sense of value and connection to your cause.

8. Mobilize Your Corporate Partners

If your nonprofit or institution has corporate sponsors or partners, work with them to educate their employees about matching gifts. Many employees aren’t even aware that their companies offer these programs, and a simple nudge from HR or internal communications can spark significant action.

For example, consider asking your corporate partners to:

• Promote matching gifts on internal channels like intranets or newsletters
• Include your nonprofit’s info in their employee giving portals
• Allow you to host lunch-and-learns or info sessions
• Host a one-off matching gift campaign specifically benefitting your nonprofit

This not only drives more matching donations but also deepens your relationship with the company—a win-win on all fronts.

9. Share Success Stories

People are inspired by stories. When you share a real story about a donation that was matched—and the tangible impact it created—it makes the concept of matching gifts come alive.

Here’s an example: "When Rachel donated $100 to support local tutoring programs, her employer matched it, bringing her impact to $200. That covered an entire month of tutoring for one child."

Include stories like these in newsletters, appeal emails, social posts, and annual reports. It helps donors visualize the extra power they have, simply by checking a box and requesting a match from their employer.

10. Track, Measure, and Optimize

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Therefore, try tracking key metrics related to matching gifts, such as:

Percentage of match-eligible donations

Match request initiation rate

Match completion rate

Total dollars matched

Fundraising increase due to matching gifts

From there, you can use this data to find gaps and opportunities. Are donors dropping off after the first email? Are small-dollar donors getting their gifts matched more often than major givers? Are some campaigns more successful than others?

By analyzing trends and experimenting with language, timing, and placement, you can continually refine your strategy for better results overall.

Matching gifts are one of the most underutilized fundraising tools available to both institutions and nonprofits. With a thoughtful approach and a few strategic integrations, you can unlock a hidden revenue stream that requires no extra money from your donors—just a little extra effort.

By educating your team, leveraging technology, telling powerful stories, and weaving matching gift opportunities throughout your campaigns, you’ll increase participation, raise more money, and deepen donor engagement.

Don’t let matching gifts be an afterthought. Make them an integral part of your strategy—and watch your impact grow.

‍

Building a thriving alumni community starts with building a solid alumni database because it is the foundation for every reunion, mentorship program, and fundraising campaign you’ll ever run. But here’s the catch: creating a database that actually works (and keeps working) isn’t just about collecting a bunch of names and emails. It’s about getting organized, choosing the right tools, and making it easy for your alumni to stay connected, wherever they are in the world.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to kick off your alumni data collection, pick the best alumni database software for your school or university, and set up an alumni database management system that saves you hours of admin work. Whether you’re building your first list or looking to switch to smarter alumni database management software, you’ll find practical tips to help you keep your alumni network strong, up-to-date, and ready to support your next big goal.

What Is an Alumni Database and Why Does It Matter?

A strong alumni community doesn’t happen by chance; it’s built on well-maintained relationships supported by accurate and accessible information. That’s where an alumni database comes in. Simply put, it’s a centralized system containing all the details about your former students, from contact information to engagement history.

The basics might include contact details, graduation years, and current careers. But the most impactful alumni databases go beyond the basics, incorporating donor records, event attendance, volunteer contributions, and even personal interests. This depth of data allows institutions to build authentic relationships with alumni and reach them with personalized communications that resonate.

Why does this matter?

• ‍For Event Outreach: Whether organizing reunions or networking events, a robust database ensures highly targeted and personalized invitations.‍
• For Advancement Campaigns: Track donor history and identify high-potential supporters for effective fundraising initiatives.‍
• For Mentorship Initiatives: Match students with alumni mentors based on shared experiences, career paths, or interests.‍
• For Relationship Building: Celebrate achievements like promotions or milestones, creating a sense of belonging and appreciation within your alumni community.

What Should Be Included in an Alumni Database?

The goal is to collect the right amount of the right information that enable you and your team to build lasting, two-way relationships. You don’t need every detail, just the information that will strengthen connections and deliver value to your alumni.

That being said, here’s a list of some types of information that teams generally prioritize:

• ‍Basic Contact Information: Email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. These are essential for all outreach efforts.‍
• Education Details: Graduation year, degrees earned, majors, minors, and honors. This helps segment alumni by class year, field of study, or academic achievements.‍
• Career Information: Current employer, industry, and role, as well as career milestones. This data supports professional networking, mentorship, and alumni success stories.‍
• Donation & Engagement History: Record contributions, event attendance, volunteer roles, and committee memberships for a quick snapshot of each alum's involvement.‍
• Interests & Preferences: Note their hobbies, event preferences, or areas of giving interest to personalize their experience with your institution.‍
• Preferred Communication Channels: Whether email, phone, or social media, knowing how your alumni prefer to connect ensures your messages are received.‍
• Special Notes: Track personal milestones like weddings, promotions, or awards. Celebrating these achievements fosters a deeper emotional connection.

How to Build an Alumni Database

Whether you’re starting from scratch or upgrading an old system, following these steps will help you build an alumni database that stays useful and grows along with your institution.

1. Define your objective before you begin

Before you even think about software, consider *why* you're building this database. Are you primarily focused on fundraising, mentorship, networking, or all of the above? What information is crucial to achieve these goals? Define these objectives and consult your team as well as your budget to make sure you make the right choice.

2. Choose the right platform

You'll need a platform that is scalable, secure, and user-friendly, while meeting the needs of your institution. Options range from dedicated alumni management software (CRM for higher education), to more generalized CRM systems that can then be customized for advancement, or even robust spreadsheet solutions for smaller institutions starting out.

💡 At this juncture, you’ll want to consider features like data import/export, reporting capabilities, communication tools, and integration with other systems.

3. Identify your data sources

Where is your existing alumni information currently residing? This could be in old admissions records, student information systems, event attendance lists, departmental databases, or even faculty contact lists. Be thorough in identifying all potential data sources, no matter how disparate. You can worry about how the data is organized in the later steps

Some common starting points to consider:

• Graduation/convocation records
• Student Services Archives
• LinkedIn and Facebook groups
• Past event or reunion sign-ups

4. Collect & enrich existing data effectively

Once you start collecting data from the sources in the previous step, you may be left with several duplicate entries, outdated contact information, and inconsistencies in formatting. Invest time in cleaning this data, standardizing fields (e.g., consistent date formats, addressing abbreviations), and merging duplicate records. This foundational work will save you headaches down the line.

5. Develop a data collection strategy

Once you start collecting data from the sources in the previous step, you may be left with several duplicate entries, outdated contact information, and inconsistencies in formatting. Invest time in cleaning this data, standardizing fields (e.g., consistent date formats, addressing abbreviations), and merging duplicate records. This foundational work will save you headaches down the line.

6. Focus on segmentation and tagging

Most, if not all, databases today allow for powerful segmentation. Beyond basic contact information, collect data that allows you to categorize alumni by graduation year, major, geographic location, industry, interests, volunteer history, and giving history. Use tags to easily identify groups for targeted communications and engagement efforts.

While it can be cumbersome depending on how deep and detailed your data strategy is, a well-segmented and tagged database can save you plenty of valuable time later and also makes onboarding third-party integrations much smoother.

7. Be proactive with your data security and privacy

Alumni entrust you with their personal information. It is paramount to protect it. Ensure your chosen platform has robust security measures in place. Develop clear privacy policies and comply with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).

💡 Keep an eye out for updates in laws and policies related to data and privacy, as they often change, and you may need new certifications over time

8. Regularly maintain & update your alumni database

Think of your alumni database as a living thing, not a one-time project. Regularly review your data for accuracy, update contact information, and remove inactive records. This also applies to your third-party integrations and plugins, which you will have to maintain, update, and sometimes replace with alternatives as you scale your data strategy.

Also, remember to solicit feedback from your alumni on their preferred communication methods and the types of engagement they value. Finally, keep an eye out for new tags and segments that may not have previously been needed.

How Almabase Helps Institutions Build & Manage Alumni Databases

Once you’ve mapped out what goes into a strong alumni database and laid the groundwork for gathering good data, the real game-changer is having a platform that ties it all together — automatically and intelligently. That’s exactly what Almabase is designed to do. It’s built for schools and universities that want to spend less time wrestling with spreadsheets and more time strengthening alumni relationships.

Here’s how Almabase supports your needs:

• ‍Seamless Integration: Works with Blackbaud and other systems for effortless data flow.‍
• Customizable Solutions: Tailored tools for segmentation, event planning, and donor engagement.‍
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Offers actionable insights for targeted campaigns.‍
• End-to-End Community Building: From personalized newsletters to alumni networking tools, Almabase provides everything you need to build thriving alumni communities.

Conclusion

Building a robust alumni database is more than an administrative task — it’s the backbone of sustainable alumni relationships and future growth. With the right data and a smart system to manage it, your institution can foster loyalty, boost event participation, grow donations, and empower alumni to give back in countless ways.

If you’re looking for a partner to help with your data strategy and empower your communication, events, and fundraisers through your CRM, give us a shout and we’d love to help!

I’ve been at Almabase for over four years now, and one thing that hasn’t changed is how much this place genuinely loves animals. Not in the “let’s put it on our About Us page” kind of way, but in a very real, very heartwarming, very lived-out way.

And honestly, we’ve never really talked about it. So I thought it’s time we did.

Before I get into the stories, a big thank you to Janak Bhaiyya (JB, as we call him). He’s literally the backbone of our office. From cooking amazing food to being the go-to person for any small issue in the office, he does it all. But what makes him extra special is his love for animals. Every pet story at Almabase, in some way or the other, starts with him.

Here are some of the animals who’ve been part of our journey, even if just for a little while.

🐶 Pepper — The OG Queen

Pepper was rescued by one of our co-founders when she was just a pup and brought straight to the office. She’s been here ever since. If you’ve been to Almabase, you already know she’s our in-house queen.

She’s lazy, hates walking, barks at the rain, always takes the elevator, and demands belly rubs the minute you step in. She’s the best security system we could ask for. No one can escape her charm. She goes by Pepper, Peppu, Pepperoni, Peppudoodoo and whatever name the team invents on the spot.

When she’s unwell, people genuinely worry. When she’s lonely, someone visits. She’s gone home with team members for a change of scene and once even “went missing,” only to be found chilling outside a colleague’s (Akhil) house, wagging her tail like she owned the place.

JB and HB(Himalaya Bhaiyya) are her primary humans, but she really belongs to all of us.

🐱 Pichu — The Baby Catto

JB found Pichu in the empty plot next to our office. Tiny, loud, and adorable. Everyone wanted a turn holding her. She also became the rabbit’s BFF (More on that below).

Manashi eventually adopted her and gave her a forever home. She now has her own room and rules her humans (as cats should). She was named after the Pokémon because, well, she looked like a mini Pikachu.

🐦 Mango — A Small Birdie With A Big Personality

This little bird lives with JB. He flies around freely, always comes back, and basically listens only to JB. He perches on his shoulder, follows him around, and has this cute little bond with him that’s just lovely to watch.

We’ve had a few other birds over the years and even a birdhouse at one point, but Mango has stayed and completely stolen our hearts.

🐰 Bunny — The Cutest Rabbit

Black and white, potty-trained (yes, somehow), and so squishable. Yet another one of JB’s rare Pokémon(s). Bunny had the most unlikely friendship with Pichu. They used to chill together, eat grass, and just vibe. Eventually, Bunny was adopted by one of JB’s friends and went off to a happy home.

🐔 Hens — Yep, We Had Hens!

Don’t have a photo of the hen. But hey, all hens look the same anyway!

There was a time we had two hens in the office. JB became so attached to them that he actually paused eating non-vegetarian food for a while. It was a wholesome little phase and just made the place feel even more alive.

Visiting Celebrities

It’s not just the permanent pets. We’ve had tons of pet visitors too.

• Luca (Yash’s dog)
• Shifu (Sri’s dog)
• Muggesh (Akhil’s cat)
• Alexis (Janani’s bird)
• Bubu (Meg’s cat)
  ‍

And when someone needs help, the whole team jumps in. Like when Muggesh needed pet-sitting, Pragya, Bindiya, and Shweta all stepped up.

One Story That Still Makes Me Smile

I once found a scared little cat hiding near a car on a busy road. I brought him home, but my cat wasn’t having it. Aakash mentioned Meghana was looking to adopt, and she said yes immediately. But she wasn’t in town yet, so Mridul fostered the little guy. Took him to the vet, gave him meds, cared for him like his own. Today, he’s a big, healthy cat living with Meg, absolutely thriving. Also, he’s called Joonie now!

‍

We even have a Slack channel called #almeowbase. No explanation needed.

So yeah, we’re pet-friendly, but not in a checkbox-on-a-website way. It’s a part of who we are. It’s in the way people show up, care deeply, foster, adopt, and love.

On some days, it wouldn’t be wrong to call Almabase a full-blown petting zoo — and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

And if that’s not the best part of Almabase culture, I don’t know what is.

‍

As fundraising grows and changes, so do the best methods to raise money for your higher education institution. Embracing digital fundraising helps you to reach your funding goals, engage your alumni community, make giving more convenient, and stay relevant among donors.

To be successful, these fundraising efforts must go hand in hand with digital marketing. By combining both, you’ll engage alumni through their preferred online channels, crafting a seamless experience from first contact to donation. In this post, we’ll explore high-impact strategies that will help your institution refine and effectively promote its digital giving programs.

1. Test your donation form

The most successful and sustainable fundraising strategies are built on a solid foundation—for online giving, that’s a streamlined, user-friendly donation form. Completing your donation form is the last step alumni must complete to contribute to your school, but even minor points of friction at this stage could cause the gift to fall through.

To mitigate this, audit your donation forms to ensure they follow user experience (UX) design best practices. Find a few test subjects and conduct usability tests, during which you’ll:

1. Outline a task or set of tasks for the users to complete. This might be something like, “Starting on our home page, navigate to the donation form and make a gift.”
2. Observe how the users complete the task. Are there any signs of confusion? How many clicks does it require? How long does it take them to finish?
3. Follow up with users to gather feedback or ask clarifying questions. Ask them if they had any specific points of confusion or whether they have suggestions for improvements.
4. Implement changes and test again. Make sure the finalized form is designed for human users and is clear and concise.

These tests can pinpoint unnecessary or confusing questions you should adjust or remove altogether. Feedback can also spark ideas for behavioral nudges like progress bars and social proof ("Join 1,325 alumni who have already given") or additional UX features like suggested giving amounts and more ways to pay. Test the form with various devices, browsers, and demographics to get a deep understanding of its functionality.

Consider conducting similar tests or applying these insights to your other forms to enhance overall alumni experiences and satisfaction. For example, optimizing forms for your volunteer program can streamline and enhance your volunteer recruitment efforts.

2. Launch SMS fundraising campaigns

Text message or SMS fundraising is an effective way to cut through digital noise, drive urgency, and solicit gifts in a personal, impactful way. While this strategy is similar to other digital fundraising channels like email marketing that offer a direct line of communication with donors, SMS campaigns have special best practices concerning:

• Message length: Keeping messages shorter is both more cost-effective and more engaging. Limit the message to 160 characters or less, focusing on readability and cutting any fluff. An effective text could be as simple as, “Help future leaders thrive! Give today to support scholarships at Marindale University. Every dollar counts. Donate now: [Link to Donation Page].”
• Timing: Generally speaking, sending texts around mid-morning or early afternoon makes them more likely to be read. However, you should learn which times resonate best with your audience through testing and data tracking and adjust your strategy accordingly.
• Multimedia elements: To send longer text messages or better engage supporters with images, videos, and GIFs, you’ll need to leverage tools that can enable multimedia messaging service (MMS) marketing.
• Calls to action (CTAs): Because you can’t rely on bright buttons or bold fonts in text message CTAs, you need clear, compelling copy. These CTAs typically read something like “Text DONATE to support the campus cause of your choice.”

Always ensure your SMS flows are permission-based (i.e., ask for the recipient’s consent) and offer clear opt-out paths. To collect more phone numbers for your database, you could consider adding an optional question to your donation form for alumni who want to receive updates.

3. Implement omni-channel marketing techniques

As Allegiance Group + Pursuant’s guide to omni-channel marketing explains, an integrated marketing approach enhances digital fundraising by cultivating deeper relationships with donors, boosting responses and conversions, maximizing resources, and capturing more valuable opportunities. The guide breaks down the steps for launching an omni-channel campaign as follows:

1. Set clear goals for the campaign. Goals should be specific and measurable, such as “Raise $10,000 by the end of the quarter to fund a new tutoring program.”
2. Analyze data to better understand your audience. Identify common trends and preferences, segmenting alumni based on factors like graduation year, industry or major, location, etc.
3. Select channels that align with audience preferences. Send messages via the channels alumni use to engage and donate. For example, recent graduates might be active on social media, while older alumni may prefer to give by mail.
4. Create a unified message that supports your goal. Think of this as a theme to guide the individual messages that make up the campaign so you can then tailor those messages to each segment’s preferences.
5. Coordinate your efforts across channels. Messages on different channels should complement and build on one another (for instance, an email might contain a condensed version of the giving needs that are outlined in more detail on your website), nudging alumni closer to donating.
6. Set up and monitor tracking for each channel. Monitor data from each channel throughout the campaign, making adjustments as needed.
7. Follow up and foster long-term relationships. Encourage alumni to engage further by sending personalized thank-you messages and recommending other ways to get involved.

Set up data tracking tools for each communication channel before launching the campaign (e.g., platforms for website traffic, social media engagement, email open and click-through rates, etc.). To avoid fragmented data, choose marketing solutions that integrate with your constituent relationship management (CRM) system.

4. Launch pop-up giving challenges

Plan short, pop-up giving challenges that create a sense of competition and urgency among alumni. For example, your institution might run 24- or 48-hour mini-campaigns targeting specific affinity groups (e.g., class years, academic departments, or athletic teams). The group that raises the most in that time period wins recognition or even a special prize.

Promote the challenge across all channels, using SMS notifications as last-minute reminders to nudge participation. Make sure giving is as quick and easy as possible by linking directly to your donation form or simply allowing alumni to text a code and donate. Once the campaign wraps up, show your appreciation for donors by sending them personalized thank-you messages and explaining the impact of their donation.

‍

Digital giving is central to advancing your higher education institution. For the best results, first review and refine the building blocks of your fundraising activities and then experiment with engaging, integrated marketing techniques. With these tactics, your team can generate sustainable giving growth while deepening alumni affinity.

Your higher education fundraising team likely knows the importance of cultivating a strong supporter base for your university. Whether the goal is to fund a new scholarship, upgrade campus technology, or launch a renovation project, you need loyal donors in your corner to contribute to any initiative your university may decide to pursue.

You might also be aware of the great debate of donor relationship-building: whether prioritizing acquisition or retention creates the best foundation for supporting your university. Your team only has so much bandwidth for engaging donors, so you’ll typically need to focus on one or the other for each of your campaigns to succeed.

In this guide, we’ll review donor acquisition and retention essentials so you can make an informed decision about how to spend your team’s time and energy. Let’s dive in!

Donor Acquisition

Donor acquisition is the process of identifying, reaching out to, and securing new donors for your university. Acquisition aims to expand the available support for your initiatives and begins each individual’s donor journey with your institution.

Benefits

According to DonorSearch’s donor acquisition guide, this process enables your university to:

• ‍Expand its donor base. If you acquire donors strategically, you’ll gain more total supporters and bring different groups of prospective supporters into the fold who would be interested in supporting your work but haven’t yet considered doing so.‍
• Achieve higher fundraising goals. Naturally, a larger donor base allows you to bring in more total revenue, especially when you identify potential supporters who are able and willing to make major gifts.‍
• Build additional capacity for university growth. Over time, your expanded pool of donors can help your institution scale up its operations, launch new programs, conduct higher-quality research, boost its reputation among universities, and educate even more students!

These benefits often take time for your university to fully realize. In the short term, donor acquisition can be time- and resource-intensive, but it’ll be worth it for your university if the long-term outcomes above are part of your strategic plan.

Essentials

To successfully acquire donors for your university, you’ll need to:

• Identify your target audience. Be as specific about who you want to reach out to as possible. For example, don’t just say you’re trying to engage alumni in a campaign. Instead, narrow down your target audience by graduation year, degree program, campus involvement, location, or other criteria (e.g., alumni whose children currently attend your university). That way, you’re more likely to contact potential donors who want to support your current initiatives.
• Develop a marketing plan. Your target audience will influence both the content of your communications and the channels you use to send them. For example, younger donors are more likely to respond to text messages and actively use social media, while older donors often prefer more traditional outreach methods like direct mail. Time your messages to strike a balance between keeping your university top of mind and avoiding overwhelming supporters with fundraising appeals.
• Conduct prospect research. Comprehensive prospect research is critical for finding potential major donors who not only can give, but also want to. Use a prospect research database to assess potential supporters’ financial giving capacity, philanthropic history, and affinity for your university, which will help you determine whether they’re worth cultivating as a major donor.

Your donor acquisition process will look different based on expected donation size—for instance, major donors typically respond better to personalized outreach than mass marketing. However, developing a solid strategy and investing in the right software (donor database, prospect research tools, marketing platforms, etc.) are important across the board.

Donor Retention

Donor retention involves maintaining relationships with your higher ed institution’s existing donors to secure their long-term support. Donors who feel connected to, valued by, and satisfied with your university are more likely to give again.

Benefits

Retaining donors has its own unique set of advantages for your university, including:

• Saving time and money. Fundraising organizations can spend up to $1.50 per dollar raised to acquire a new donor, while the average cost of retaining an existing donor is just $0.20 per dollar raised. Plus, it takes less time and effort to ask an existing donor for a gift since they’re already familiar with your university and its fundraising department.
• Building stronger donor relationships. If you get to know your donors over time, you can better tailor your fundraising asks to their preferences. Donors also become more passionate about your university as the relationship develops, which motivates them to maintain (or even increase) their support as they’re able.
• Improving your fundraising team’s reputation. Longtime donors also become better fundraising advocates for your university, and this social proof can help you acquire new donors with less effort. You might even connect with new corporate partners through your retained donors (particularly their employers), expanding your institution’s community influence.

Generally speaking, donor retention provides stable support for your higher ed institution. No matter what challenges you may face or what new projects your university needs your team to fund, you’ll know your loyal supporters have your back.

Essentials

Here are a few practical tips for developing your university’s donor retention strategy:

• Thank donors for every contribution. Every gift—no matter how small—deserves a personalized thank-you from your fundraising team. However, the size of your appreciation should match the size of the donation. An email, text, or mass mailing is sufficient for a small-dollar donor, while major donors should get more recognition, like a mention in your annual report or naming rights to a space on campus.
• Demonstrate impact. Donors will only want to keep giving if they know their contributions are making a difference. Incorporate statistics, true stories, and images into your communications to show donors their impact. For example, if a major donor funded a study abroad scholarship, you could share a story about an English major who received the scholarship and had a life-changing experience spending a semester in London, along with some photos she took while there.
• Time further requests strategically. Like with potential donors, existing supporters will experience burnout and fatigue if every message you send them is a fundraising appeal. Mix donation requests with impact updates and invitations to get involved in other ways (attending events, volunteering, etc.). Then, use insights from these other communications to assess donors’ involvement potential, which can impact when and how much you’ll ask for in your next appeal.

As you can see, the best donor retention strategies also vary by gift size, but having a solid plan and the right tools are also critical for keeping supporters engaged with your university.

Should My University Prioritize Donor Acquisition or Retention?

The answer to this question depends on your goals. If you’re prioritizing sustainable fundraising, your university should focus on donor retention. If you’re planning for substantial growth, you’ll likely need to acquire new donors. In general, retention is a better day-to-day priority since it’s more cost-effective, but when your strategic plan calls for acquisition, you should switch your focus.

According to higher education giving insights from EverTrue, the number of donors decreased by 8.2% in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023. Meanwhile, the total dollar amount donated increased by 60% on average, with a median growth of 18%. This shift underscores a critical challenge (and opportunity) for advancement teams: fewer donors are giving more, meaning institutions must focus on deeper engagement and stronger relationships with supporters.

In this guide, we’ll discuss actionable university fundraising tips to help your institution build meaningful, lasting relationships. From using segmented communication strategies to digital tools like texting and early student engagement, we’ll explain what works and why. Let’s begin.

1. Segment your donors

University donors don’t all have the same preferences or interests, so your outreach shouldn’t treat them as a monolith. By tailoring your donor engagement efforts to your audience’s unique needs, interests, and preferences, you can design outreach materials that resonate with them.

Your organization’s constituent relationship management (CRM) platform will come in handy in this process. Whether you use Slate, Salesforce Education Cloud, Ellucian CRM Advance, or a different CRM tool, you should be able to manage donor segmentation directly within your donor database.

Use donor data and behavioral insights to segment donors by:

• Graduation year or decade
• Career field or industry
• Past engagement activity
• Preferred communication channel

This allows you to personalize messages and target content effectively. For example, a young alumni donor might respond well to a digital networking event invite, while a seasoned donor might be more interested in legacy giving updates.

2. Engage students before they graduate

Alumni are among the most essential donors for university fundraising because of their powerful personal connections to your institution. The most successful alumni engagement strategies start before commencement. Building affinity early fosters long-term loyalty and stronger giving potential among new grads.

Consider the following tactics to keep students engaged with your institution:

• Launch student ambassador programs that connect undergrads with alumni mentors. Pair students with mentors in a similar career field so they can learn valuable insights about joining the industry. Encourage pairs to meet in person to form stronger bonds that can last long after graduation.
• Offer resume reviews or career panels led by alumni. Host virtual resume workshop sessions or Q&As with alumni to prepare students for the working world. Ask current students for feedback about which types of sessions they’d find the most interesting or helpful.
• Involve students in annual giving campaigns or campus traditions. Participation helps students build a sense of ownership and connection with their institution. Whether they’re tabling for Giving Day or joining a tradition like senior class gifts, these experiences lay the groundwork for long-term alumni engagement and giving.

These efforts show students that your university cares about their ongoing success, even after they get their diplomas. As a result, students will hold more goodwill for your institution, increasing the likelihood of consistent, meaningful support.

3. Improve your fundraising events

90% of donors prefer experiential recognition to physical acknowledgment materials like letters or gifts. This makes fundraising events an especially valuable engagement tool as a social touchpoint and a meaningful way to recognize and celebrate supporters.

High-impact events don’t have to be large or elaborate, but they must be personal and memorable. Whether in person or virtual, the goal is to build community and reinforce connection to your institution through shared experiences.

To improve your fundraising events:

• Tailor themes and formats to your audience segments. For example, you could host meetups for specific industries, mixers for certain regions with large alumni populations, or sports watch parties for young alumni.
• Include opportunities for supporters to network and interact meaningfully. Provide attendees with wearable event badges that provide information such as their names and job titles. This will make it easier for donors to find and network with others in similar fields.
• Collect and analyze feedback to iterate on future event formats. Send a survey to attendees after events to gather their feedback on everything from the networking opportunities offered to the quality of the catering. Incorporate their input into future experiences to make your events more audience-friendly.

Well-designed events can spark new engagement, rekindle dormant relationships, and create lasting memories that keep donors connected for years to come.

4. Leverage multichannel communications

Your donor community is diverse, not just in background, but also in how they prefer to communicate. To meet them where they are, use a mix of digital and traditional methods such as:

• Email newsletters and event invites
• Social media engagement
• Personalized direct mail
• Text messaging campaigns

Texting, in particular, offers high engagement rates. It enables fast, two-way communication and is ideal for event reminders or campaign updates. Busy contributors can read concise messages from your organization and click on links to your event registration forms or donation pages instantly.

5. Don’t neglect mid-level donors

Major donors receive a lot of attention in university fundraising because of their ability to contribute transformational gifts. However, mid-level donors represent a valuable bridge between casual supporters and your highest-tier donors.

These donors are typically more consistent in their giving, have a demonstrated affinity for your institution, and are often receptive to deeper engagement if you approach them intentionally.

Use these tips to engage mid-level donors:

• Send tailored thank-you messages that acknowledge their giving history and other forms of involvement, such as reunion attendance or past volunteer roles.
• Invite them to intimate gatherings or campus tours during homecoming weekends that celebrate their sustained support.
• Share impact reports that show how mid-level gifts helped fund specific programs like scholarships, departmental research, or student services.

With strategic cultivation, your mid-level donors may even decide to become planned or legacy donors in the future. According to a Sea Change Strategies report, 31% of mid-level donors have made a bequest to the organization they support, and another 23% say they plan to make one later. This data highlights the value of intentionally building lasting relationships with mid-level supporters.

6. Strengthen donor cultivation with personalization

In university fundraising, personalized cultivation is essential for strengthening lifelong ties and converting engagement into sustained giving. From milestone celebrations to targeted giving appeals, personalized outreach helps donors feel connected to your school and its evolving mission.

Use tools like predictive analytics, donor personas, and engagement tracking to:

• Identify key moments to reach out (e.g., birthdays, reunion years).
• Align giving opportunities with donor interests.
• Provide relevant updates based on donors’ past charitable giving that reinforce donor impact.
• Spotlight matching gift opportunities based on employment information.

BWF’s guide to university fundraising recommends going beyond simple emails to create personalized gratitude videos for donors. According to the guide, these videos can “capture donors’ attention and show them that your organization values their involvement.” Ask current students or professors to volunteer to speak in these videos, making them even more personal and meaningful.

Effective university fundraising requires your school to meet donors where they are and build mutually beneficial relationships with them. With the tips in this guide, your advancement team can build enduring donor relationships that drive both connection and giving.

If you’re not already measuring alumni engagement metrics, you might be missing the clearest window into your alumni community’s interests, behavior, and potential. Whether it’s attendance at reunions, click rates on newsletters, or repeat giving patterns, your engagement data should be your earliest source for what’s working as well as what you can do better.

In this blog, we’ll walk through 10 of the most important alumni engagement metrics every advancement team should monitor, how to track them, and why they matter.

Why Tracking Engagement Metrics Matters

“Alumni engagement” is often used as a catch-all, but in practice, it includes everything from event attendance and volunteering to content views, mentorship activity, and online interactions. Tracking these engagement touchpoints helps advancement teams go beyond guesswork to real, actionable insights.

Here’s why it’s essential:

• Drive smarter fundraising strategies: Metrics like donor retention or event turnout help segment alumni by engagement level—so you know who’s likely to give, and when.
• Plan better programs: Knowing what kind of events get traction lets you avoid low-turnout flops.
• Boost alumni lifetime value: Engaged alumni are more likely to become repeat donors, mentors, or ambassadors.
• Tailor communications: Metrics like email open rates or survey responses help you send the right message, to the right people, at the right time.
• Justify resources: Having the data makes it easier to secure budget, staff, and leadership buy-in.

Essentially, these metrics are the bridge between alumni activity and institutional growth. Without them, you’re flying blind.

10 Alumni Engagement Metrics Every Advancement Team Should Track

1. Event Participation

Use event management software to record registrations, track RSVPs, and gather demographic data. Post-event surveys can provide additional insights into attendee satisfaction and areas for improvement.

What to track:

• Percentage of alumni attending events (both in-person and virtual)
• Attendance trends over time
• Demographics of attendees (age, gender, class year, region)
• Event-specific engagement (e.g. donations at fundraising galas)
• Repeat attendees vs. first-time visitors
• No-show rates for RSVPs
• Return on Investment (ROI) per event type
• Alumni testimonials and qualitative feedback quotes
• Event referral rates (alumni recommending events to other alumni)
• Post-event follow-up engagement rates (responses to thank you emails, surveys)

Why it matters:

Events are a tangible way to engage alumni and strengthen their connection to the institution. High attendance often correlates with alumni feeling valued and involved. It’s also a prime opportunity to identify high-affinity individuals who are likely to become volunteers or donors.

According to CASE, events are a top-tier indicator in their alumni engagement metrics model.

Tip for Blackbaud users:

Use Almabase’s TrueSync integration to automatically log event RSVPs and attendance as interactions in RE NXT, so you can build profiles around actual alumni behavior—not just assumptions. You’ll be able to segment by event type, frequency, and participation history, making follow-ups and engagement scoring far more targeted.

2. Email Engagement (Opens, Clicks, Unsubscribes)

Emails remain one of the most effective digital channels for alumni communications. Tracking how alumni interact with your emails helps you evaluate the quality and timing of your messaging.

What to track:

• Open rates (are your subject lines working?)
• Click-through rates (is your content relevant?)
• Unsubscribe rates (is your messaging too frequent or off-topic?)
• Bounce rates (outdated contact info)
• Alumni segments with highest and lowest engagement
• Email forwarding and sharing rates
• Segmented performance by graduation year, geographic location, or donation history

Why it matters:

If alumni aren’t reading your emails, they’re not hearing your story or getting involved. Low engagement might signal poor targeting, while high clicks can point to future donors or volunteers. Email engagement is often a predictor of future giving behavior, as found in this CallHub guide.

3. Social Media Interactions

Social platforms give you real-time feedback on alumni sentiment and preferences. Tracking interactions helps you tailor content and spot alumni influencers.

What to track:

• Engagement metrics: Likes, shares, comments, and post saves across platforms.
• Platform-specific trends: Engagement differences between platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Hashtag usage and reach: Effectiveness of campaign-specific hashtags (e.g., #AlumniGivingDay).
• User-generated content (UGC): Alumni-created content mentioning the institution.
• Direct interactions: Messages, mentions, and responses to polls or stories.
• Video completion rates and average watch time
• Story interaction rates (polls, questions, swipes)
• Website traffic driven from social media platforms
• New follower acquisition rates

Why it matters:

Engaged alumni on social media are more likely to attend events, donate, or share your campaigns. It’s also an effective space to amplify success stories, student impact, and fundraising results.High engagement can amplify campaigns, attract prospective students, and foster a sense of community.

4. Volunteer Participation

Alumni who volunteer are among your most loyal supporters. Whether they help organize reunions, mentor students, or fundraise, their contributions build trust and community.

What to track:

• Number of active volunteers: Total alumni engaged in volunteer roles.
• Types of volunteer activities: Mentoring, event organization, fundraising, etc.
• Volunteer hours logged: Total time contributed by alumni.
• Repeat vs. first-time volunteers: Understanding volunteer retention.
• Volunteer-to-donor conversion rates: Transition from volunteering to financial contributions.
• Alumni expressing interest in volunteering but not yet participating
• Volunteer recruitment source effectiveness (referrals, events, social media)
• Geographic distribution and accessibility of volunteer opportunities
• Volunteer program completion rates

Why it matters:

Volunteering is often the first step toward deeper alumni involvement. A growing volunteer base is a strong signal of trust in your institution—and often a precursor to financial giving.

5. Mentorship Program Involvement

Mentorship is a win-win: students get real-world guidance, and alumni stay connected in meaningful ways.

What to track:

• Number of active mentorships: Total ongoing mentor-mentee relationships.
• Match success rates: Effectiveness of pairing processes.
• Mentorship duration and frequency: Longevity and consistency of interactions.
• Feedback scores: Satisfaction levels from participants.
• Post-mentorship outcomes: Career advancements or continued engagement.
• Number of actionable items and follow-up notes per session
• Personal satisfaction scores from both mentors and mentees

Why it matters:

Alumni who mentor are giving their time, expertise, and attention—huge indicators of engagement. Plus, students often transition into active alumni when they've experienced mentorship as recipients.

University of Michigan’s LSA Connect is a case study in how mentorship platforms can foster long-term alumni loyalty. Evidence from related alumni engagement initiatives at the College of LSA shows that such programs increase alumni willingness to volunteer, mentor, and donate.

6. Online Directory or Portal Usage

Your alumni portal is more than a directory—it’s a living hub. If no one’s logging in, it’s a sign something’s broken.

What to track:

• Login frequency: How often alumni access the portal.
• Profile updates: Regularity of information updates by users.
• Feature utilization: Engagement with job boards, event calendars, forums, etc.
• Mobile vs. desktop access: Preferred access methods.
• Feedback and support requests: User satisfaction and areas for improvement.
• Average session duration and time spent per visit.
• Content consumption patterns within the portal
• Internal search behavior and query analysis

Why it matters:

Consistent portal use indicates alumni find real value in your digital ecosystem. If they’re logging in regularly, it’s likely they’re staying up to date and finding relevant opportunities to engage.

7. Profile Updates

When alumni update their information—whether it's a new job title, email address, or city—it means they still care enough to keep in touch.

What to track:

• Frequency of updates: How often alumni update their information.
• Types of updates: Changes in employment, contact information, or interests.
• Prompted vs. spontaneous updates: Responses to institutional prompts versus voluntary updates.
• Data completeness: Percentage of profiles with comprehensive information.
• Update trends: Patterns in updates across different alumni segments.

Why it matters:

Clean, updated data is vital for fundraising, event planning, and targeted outreach. Plus, updates are a subtle but telling sign of active alumni interest.

8. Content Engagement (Blogs, Webinars, Newsletters)

Your content library is one of your biggest touchpoints for value-driven engagement. But are alumni actually consuming it? Content consumption patterns reveal alumni interests and inform content strategy.

What to track:

• Open and click-through rates: Effectiveness of email newsletters.
• Webinar registrations and attendance: Interest in live content.
• Content shares and comments: Engagement with blogs and articles.
• Time spent on content: Depth of engagement.
• Feedback and ratings: Quality assessments from alumni.
• Page views and unique visitor counts.
• Content bounce rates (single-page sessions).
• Video play rates and completion percentages.
• Content bookmarking and saving behaviors.
• Content-to-action conversion rates (from reading to donating/volunteering).

Why it matters:

Understanding what topics resonate helps you create smarter campaigns, newsletters, and giving asks. Content engagement also supports your drip and nurture sequences.

9. Giving Participation and Frequency

This one’s obvious—but critical. Tracking how alumni give (and how often) helps you identify your most committed donors and build targeted stewardship journeys.

What to track:

• Donor participation rate: Percentage of alumni who donate.
• Donation frequency: One-time vs. recurring contributions.
• Average gift size: Typical donation amounts.
• Campaign-specific contributions: Effectiveness of targeted fundraising efforts.
• Donor retention rates: Repeat donor statistics.

Why it matters:

Giving isn’t just about money—it’s about commitment. Alumni who give regularly are your most engaged segment and should be treated as such. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, repeat donors are 5x more likely to give major gifts down the line.

10. Survey Response Rates

Surveys help you understand the “why” behind alumni behavior. The more responses you get, the more accurate your insights.

What to track:

• Response rates: Overall participation in surveys.
• Completion rates: Percentage of fully completed surveys.
• Segmented responses: Feedback from different alumni groups.
• Recurring themes: Common suggestions or concerns.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): Likelihood of alumni recommending the institution.
• Survey delivery method effectiveness (email vs. phone vs. in-person).
• Average time to complete surveys.
• Drop-off points and question abandonment rates.
• Follow-up survey response rates.

Why it matters:

Surveys turn passive alumni into contributors. Even if they aren’t giving or attending events yet, a thoughtful survey response is a step toward deeper connection.

Pro Tip: Track which segments respond best to different campaign types and use that to guide your calendar.

How to Track These Metrics with Almabase

Tracking alumni engagement metrics across multiple tools—spreadsheets, CRMs, email platforms, social media dashboards—can get messy fast. Almabase eliminates that chaos by pulling all your key engagement data into one place. Designed specifically for advancement teams, Almabase offers a centralized platform to manage events, campaigns, communications, and reporting—without needing five different systems.

Here’s how Almabase helps you track each metric efficiently:

1. Centralized Engagement Dashboard

Almabase’s real-time dashboard gives you a bird’s-eye view of how your alumni are interacting across channels—without needing to build custom reports.

What you get:

• Live data on event attendance, email performance, portal logins, giving, and more
• Segmentation by class year, geography, affinity, or engagement score
• Visual charts to spot patterns and drop-offs at a glance
• Easy export options for leadership reports or board meetings

Instead of chasing down numbers in five tools, everything you need to analyze and act is in one place—updated live, and accessible to your whole team.

2. Two-Way Sync with Blackbaud RE NXT (TrueSync)

Maintaining clean, updated records is half the battle in alumni engagement. Almabase’s TrueSync integration with Blackbaud RE NXT ensures that engagement data flows seamlessly between platforms—without duplication or delay.

What you get:

• Real-time sync of gifts, profiles, interactions, and attendance
• Automatic updates when alumni change their email or job title on Almabase
• Clean, deduplicated records across systems
• Sync logs for full visibility and data trust

TrueSync means no more CSV uploads or reconciling gift data between systems. Your CRM becomes a true source of truth—with minimal manual effort.

3. Built-in Email + Event Tracking

Whether it’s a giving day push or a webinar invite, Almabase tracks every email open, click, and RSVP—right within the platform.

What you get:

• Real-time open, click, and bounce rates
• Pre-built email templates with dynamic personalization
• RSVP tracking for events (virtual or in-person)
• Segmentation tools for better targeting

You don’t need separate tools for emails and events. Almabase consolidates outreach and engagement data in one view, helping you measure effectiveness immediately—and iterate quickly.

4. Pre-Built Reports for Every Metric

Not everyone on your team is a data wizard—and with Almabase, they don’t have to be. The platform comes loaded with pre-configured reports that align with advancement KPIs.

What you get:

• Giving participation by class year or region
• Email engagement broken down by audience type
• Volunteer and mentorship involvement dashboards
• Custom report builder for one-off insights

When your leadership asks for last quarter’s giving engagement by affinity group, you won’t be stuck building pivot tables. It’s ready in a few clicks.

Want to See Your Metrics in One Place?

With Almabase, advancement teams spend less time cleaning spreadsheets and more time building strategy. If your team is juggling tools and still doesn’t have clarity on what’s working, it’s time to streamline.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the 10 metrics we’ve covered give you a roadmap to understand your community, focus your team, and build stronger donor pipelines. Whether you're focused on growing your volunteer base, boosting Giving Day turnout, or just understanding what content resonates, metrics are the starting point.

We’ve talked in length about some good events and the event management or fundraising tools that can make them succeed consistently. This time, we’re taking a step back and at the basics of fundraising event planning.

In this blog, we’re going through the essentials to turn your fundraising ideas into successful events that don’t just reach your targets but create powerful memories to strengthen your cause. Let’s get started.

10 Steps to Planning a Successful Fundraising Event

1. Have a clear goal before anything else

As with every advancement initiative, the goals are where everything starts and leads back to. We’ve talked about the importance of Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based (SMART) goals in a past blog. While creating the goals that will define your fundraising event, keep the following questions your attendees would have in mind:

• Why should I want to attend this event?
• Do i know what this event is for?
• Does a fundraiser make sense for this event?
• Why should I care enough to donate for this cause?
• Does this event feel relevant to me?
• Where am i hearing about this event?

Apart from these questions, your available staff time, target audience, budget, and other upcoming institution events will play a big part in shaping your scope for your event. Take your time with this step as the right goals are the foundation of a successful event.

2. Select the right type of fundraising event

Depending on your audience, budget, and goals, you may choose from a variety of fundraiser ideas, such as:

• ‍Gala dinners for engaging major donors‍
• Interactive Workshops for a skill or career-oriented event‍
• Walkathons or fun runs for community involvement‍
• Silent auctions for a blend of entertainment and fundraising‍
• Culinary events can be an intimate tasting menu event or a casual food truck rally‍
• Escape rooms/Scavenger hunts to create fun and memorable team-based or competitive activities‍
• Virtual experiences, like online trivia or livestreamed performances, for broader reach

No two events are truly alike, and depending on the success of your fundraiser, a bold new approach might just be your next hallmark annual event.

3. Choose your fundraising method

As you’re not just planning any event, how you want to introduce fundraising to your event is going to be very important. Remember, a fundraising event can have multiple revenue streams. For example:

• Ticket sales or entry fees
• Auctions or raffles with enticing prizes
• Merchandise sales (e.g., branded mugs or shirts)
• Peer-to-peer fundraising, where attendees rally their own support networks

Nowadays, institutions usually look to include diverse fundraising methods in their fundraisers. This is also where pairing the right event with the right fundraising method can greatly impact your raised amount.

4. Choose the right event management and fundraising tools

Now that you know what type of event you want as well as how you’re going to raise funds during it, it’s time to put the right tools to work. Pretty much every modern institution uses a fundraising platform to streamline their events and fundraisers. These tools help you:

• Create event and fundraising pages
• Facilitate online registrations and tickets
• Logistics to engage virtual attendees
• Automated and personalized invitations and follow-ups
• Data collection, reporting, and analytics based on event and giving data

and much more.

Platforms like Almabase help streamline these logistical elements, allowing you more time and energy to focus on fostering genuine connections with your donors.  

5. Building a team for your event

Now that the building blocks are coming into place, it’s time to decide on arguably the most important part of an event, the people. You’ll want to form a committee of people to take on and help with specific parts of the event including but not limited to:

• Event coordinators to oversee logistics
• Volunteer coordinators to manage helpers and ensure a smooth event
• Outreach personnel to secure partnerships and sponsors
• Marketers to handle invitations, storytelling, and getting your cause to the right people

Apart from the above, you’ll want to think about corporations, non-profits, and associations that may want to play a pivotal role in helping you bring your event to life.

6. Finalize a date and time

Now that all the bits and bobs are there, it’s time to lock in a specific place and time. It seems fairly basic but keep in mind that:

• a date that shouldn’t conflict with major holidays or other high-profile events in your area
• your venue must suit your event type, accommodates your expected audience, and is accessible to attendees (physically and virtually)
• for virtual events, your platform of choice can handle the number of participants and offers interactive features to keep your audience engaged

7. Spread the word: Marketing your fundraising event

You’ve got all the info ready to go. But it doesn’t mean anything if it doesn’t reach the right audience. And even if it does, what type of messaging should they receive and when should they receive it so that they truly feel like attending or giving? That’s where your event marketing comes into play. You’ll want to make use of channels such as:

• Social media
• Email
• Flyers and posters (for local audiences)
• Influences, ambassadors, and partners
• Storytelling campaigns

and much much more to get your event and your cause heard. Make sure that your marketing emphasizes how your fundraiser can help your cause of choice.

8. Prepare for contingencies

Even the most tight-knit plans have a chance of going wrong. A 10-minute delay caused by faulty audio equipment might just be that small little factor that disinterests a potential first time donor.

• Have backup vendors in case of last-minute cancellations
• Plan for unexpected weather if your event is outdoors
• Test your equipment and rehearse your event ahead of time
• Have backup equipment and technicians at the ready
• Set up alternative giving options through a different payment provider or website just in case

These are good things to keep in mind but ultimately, your contingencies may have to be just as unique as your event.

9. Nurture relationships after your event

Nowadays, the event doesn’t truly end when the last guest leaves. Following up with attendees is crucial to maintaining their engagement and potentially turning them into loyal supporters. Post-event action items include:

• Sending thank-you emails or handwritten notes to participants and donors
• Sharing photos, videos, and impact reports to highlight the event’s success
• Making segments out of your attendees and donors to improve your engagement efforts
• Requesting feedback to improve future fundraising efforts

Gratitude and proactive follow-ups go a long way in building long-term relationships with your supporters.

10. Turn attendees and donors into supporters

The ultimate measure of a successful fundraising event isn’t just the dollar amount raised but also the connections made and how deep those connections go over time. To turn your attendees into loyal supporters, you’ll want to consider some steps such as:

• Encourage attendees to join your mailing list/newsletter for updates on upcoming campaigns
• Foster a sense of community with behind-the-scenes content, testimonials, or networking opportunities
• Share how their contributions made a tangible impact through success stories or project updates
• Provide exclusive benefits and rewards to past attendees and donors to show your appreciation
• Provide an organic pathway for donors to eventually become champions and help with your planning

By nurturing these relationships, you're creating a network of passionate supporters who are more likely to advocate for your cause and contribute to future initiatives.

Conclusion

Fundraising events have certainly not gotten any easier to plan and host in the past few years. Donors and alumni in general simply expect more, and you can’t just rely on your long-time donors alone. However, we hope that this guide, despite just scratching the surface, was able to give you some ideas for your next fundraising event.

If you’re looking for a partner to help you manage events, engage alumni, and raise funds, do give us a shout and we’ll happily walk you through how we can help with your own personalized demo! ⤵️