Like many large, decentralized shops, Illinois historically used matrixes or manager discretion when setting goals for fundraisers, resulting in a spectrum of performance standards. Acknowledging the importance of portfolio health to a fundraiser's success, Illinois launched the Stoplight System, a pipeline-based approach to setting goals. It combines a discounting algorithm (science) with fundraiser knowledge about each ask (art) to arrive at aspirational, yet achievable goals. Hear from the analyst and frontline about the FY20 implementation that resulted in larger goals, increased closures (amongst COVID) and next steps taken to enhance performance.

Have you inherited an alumni program that needs resuscitation? Do you need to leverage volunteers to stop your program from circling the drain? Has your alumni board faded away, or was there no alumni board when you arrived? Let’s explore techniques to avoid leaving your alumni program and board on life support! Highlands University alumni board presidents and staff will share their work-in-progress best practices for building a thriving, engaging alumni outreach and a working alumni board, inspiring greater engagement and giving at all levels to the university.

Advancement organizations are increasingly seeking to unlock the potential of engaging underrepresented communities of their alumni bases (BIPOC, LGBTQ, First Generation, etc.). Sometimes, despite best efforts to be inclusive, messages can be interpreted as culturally insensitive and/or tone deaf. It is critical to our organizations to effectively communicate our intended messages, but also understand that words and images have different meanings to varying communities. Session participants will experience and assess examples of such communications, and will develop tools to making outreach strategies more relevant to the intended audiences.

Some in the industry say that the era of phone bank fundraising is in the past. While phone-a-thons have changed from earlier models, we find that phone contact with donors still has value for us, our donors, and for our institution. This session will discuss how we are communicating with phone-loyal donors, how we are approaching phone calls now and, in the future, the importance of multi-channel tools and how we use software tools to put these concepts into practice.

In this session, we will discuss how best to build the capacity to secure transformational gifts at your institution using a framework that looks at the various elements: The relationship with the donor, academic leader(s), the vision, the business model, and extraordinary stewardship. The Grainger College of Engineering shall serve as a case study in how these elements work together in extraordinary ways.

The partnership between Alumni Relations and Admission has evolved over time. What once was a simple relationship with the Alumni Association offering names of volunteers for college fairs, has blossomed into a dynamic partnership between the two offices that has led to new, innovative ways for alumni and advancement staffs to assist Admission in recruiting, and yielding strong incoming classes. The partnership also supports advancement's goals of bringing in new volunteers and increasing their engagement with the institution. This session will feature ideas and programs from two different institutions which will lead to a broad range of discussion topics.

Picture this: Donor communication as personal as a living room conversation. Pieces whose stories resonate, convey a genuine thank you, congratulate milestones, and ultimately increase giving. Join Stormie Kirby Harless from the Ball State University Foundation and Jonathan Van Oss of Pledgemine as they show you how you can treat your donors as “Segments of One.”

When COVID hit, Miami University decided to help alumni with what it does best: education. The Alumni Association partnered to create an online professional development course free to all alumni: the miniMBA. Conceived and launched in just under two months, the program had more than 7,000 initial registrants with more than half going on to complete the course. The panel will lead you through the process, from conception to marketing to using data to drive future revenue-generating online degree programs.