Homecoming Season and Alumni Giving: Four Ways to Keep Alumni Engaged Year-Round

Every year, colleges and universities get ready to welcome excited alumni back to campus for Homecoming. It’s a time when many alumni will reconnect with friends and classmates, and demonstrate their pride in their schools. However, when the event tents are packed up, the football game is over, and alumni return to their busy lives, schools are faced with the challenge of keeping that engagement, pride, and excitement going.?

In 2021, the majority of voluntary giving to higher education, nearly 77% of donations, came from foundations, non-alumni individuals, corporations, and other organizations. Alumni giving accounted for less than a quarter of voluntary giving, which is surprising given how much pride alumni possess.?

To sustain their institutions and continue preparing the students of today and tomorrow for success, schools must keep alumni consistently involved and willing to give back to their communities through their time, talent, ties, and treasure.?

As colleges and universities prepare to welcome alumni back to campus this fall, here are four ways schools can engage alumni and keep them connected year-round.

1. Celebrate, Recognize, and Reward Everyday Philanthropists, Not Just Major Donors

Thanking all donors, whether they’re giving $5, a few hours of volunteer time, or giving a transformational gift, is key to continued engagement. Consider how all gifts can be recognized and acknowledged regardless of the type or amount. A handwritten thank you note, a link to a video about how the gift will impact students, a certificate, or another type of recognition that is thoughtful, visual, and shareable on social media can go a long way. When we shift the focus from the dollar amount to the level of participation, we can create stronger donor communities.?

2. Focus on Lifelong Philanthropy and Get Donors in the Habit of Giving Back?

Giving used to be a destination. It was something you engaged in when you sold a company or retired and wanted to consider your legacy. Today, giving is a journey. Schools that are successful at engaging alumni know that relationships with all donors matter. Spelman College, a top HBCU, is a great example of a school that is engaging alumni in impactful ways. They start the conversation about giving back early and focus on lifelong philanthropy relationships through the Spelman College Student Philanthropy Council (SPC). There are also a variety of ways for alumni to volunteer, such as participating in mock job interviews. A donor may start by donating $5 or by donating their time. Over a lifetime, once that habit of giving back is established, what alumni can contribute will grow. It’s important to foster lifelong relationships with philanthropy.?

3. Allow Alumni to See the Impact of All the Ways They Give in One Place

It’s important for schools to recognize the variety of ways alumni give back throughout their lives. Not all alumni will start their giving journeys by donating. Some might start by volunteering or using their personal and social networks to share messages about giving back. Consider how alumni can see their true impact beyond a dollar amount. For example, institutions can encourage alumni to track their volunteer hours and their monetary gifts and thank them for both with data on their contributions. Showing donors information on a variety of ways they’re contributing can be empowering and encourage them to remain involved. Providing resources for those who are giving time and talent that help alumni see how those gifts make a difference is a great way to encourage alumni engagement. When alumni can see their full impact, including volunteer time, it provides great encouragement for them to stay involved.

4. Offer Meaningful, Frictionless Ways to Give Using Technology

Technology can make every day giving both more convenient and more meaningful for donors. Everyday donations of small amounts can add up to have a large collective impact, but it’s important to make sure the experience is meaningful for the donor. Often, when a person donates at a fundraiser or even rounds up at the point of sale, they don’t see the collective impact of those gifts. They also don’t always get credit for that donation or get to choose the organization it goes to. With innovations in technology, all of that is changing. I’m proud to be working with American Express to support a new frictionless way to give. This pilot program will allow select Card Members to round up their purchases to the nearest $1, $5, or $10. The funds will go into an Impact Account that the Card Member can then distribute to a charity that’s personally meaningful to them. Frictionless giving options that allow the donor to choose the nonprofit to donate to are something that colleges and universities can use to encourage year-round giving.?

Homecoming reminds us how excited many alumni are about their schools, and it demonstrates how much they desire to remain connected to their school communities. When alumni are engaged and willing to give their time, talent, ties, and treasure, it positively impacts schools as well as current and future students.

We can turn school pride into year-round involvement in philanthropy. By offering meaningful, frictionless ways to give, allowing alumni to see the impact of the variety of ways they give, encouraging a lifelong approach to philanthropy, and recognizing and rewarding everyday philanthropists, we can engage alumni year-round.

If you are headed to the Hampton University Homecoming Week (October 16 – October 22), please let me know. I would be excited to connect with you, reminisce about our home by the sea, and discuss how we can give back to our alma mater.?