From the Nominator

IllinoisState-advancement.com is the fundraising microsite developed by Illinois State University Advancement. The site contains top fundraising metrics and key performance indicators for FY23 for the unit, which is composed of Fundraising, Development, Alumni Engagement, Advancement Operations, and University Marketing and Communications. The microsite was designed for the Foundation Board of Illinois State University, as well as the Board of Trustees, to tell the story of university advancement and share highlights of the year. The goal was to present data visualizations that were eye-catching and easily interpreted. For many of the metrics and points of pride, the figures tell the story; for example, total private support in December 2022 bolstered our $34 million fundraising year, Illinois State’s third highest on record. The navigation “hamburger” shows sections with important data points that reveal the successes and challenges experienced this fiscal year. The side-to-side arrows to show data contained in each section. Alumni engagement activity and demography are on display. CASE Circle of Excellence Gold awards are highlighted in University Marketing and Communications, along with social media engagement and our record year in trademark and licensing. The microsite was presented to the boards in live meetings, and when asked, board members noted that they found the figures and the format compelling. This was a sustainable microsite, with the lion's share of data compilation being completed in house. Paper and printing expenses were saved since this information was shared exclusively through the microsite.

From the Judges

This is a very unique and innovative way of presenting the impact of the advancement department to an internal audience. It does a great job of conveying the full work of advancement (including operations and marketing). We felt there's an opportunity to take this page further, providing more context and year-on-year comparisons, as well as highlighting the faces behind the numbers. We also would have liked the entry submission to include more information on return on investment.