What are the biggest roadblocks institutions face when it comes to adding/enhancing mobile donation options? “Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the end of a payment process only to have it fail. This experience could cause a donor to give up and schools to lose valuable dollars. Advancement offices need a secure and reliable […]
While direct mail and phone remain strong methods of courting donors, advancement offices face the reality that younger alumni may not even have a landline or use a checkbook. More than 1 in 5 online donations were made on a mobile device in 2017, according to research from the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact. In […]
A culturally rich, historically black neighborhood in Pensacola, Florida, has been experiencing gentrification. To keep the legacy of the Belmont-DeVilliers community alive, a local engineer is guiding a group of University of West Florida undergraduates creating a virtual version of the neighborhood—along with a small brick-and-mortar museum to showcase the project. It's just one of many […]
Stephen Wilson, director of annual giving at Virginia State University, identifies donor prospects at no cost on LinkedIn. Using keyword searches based on profile information such as college, industry and job title, he finds potential matches and requests the connections. About half will respond and show interest in happenings at the university. “With 20,000 alumni […]
Search committees and institutions recruiting academic leaders are often met with a major sticking point: the most appealing candidates often don't have much fundraising experience. Yet in today's climate, non-tuition sources of revenue are increasingly important and fundraising provides resources that can truly advance a university's agenda. Leaders across campus—deans, program directors, functional administrators, research […]
President Lyle Roelofs likes to buy running shoes for his students at Berea College—as long as they get some exercise with him twice weekly before class. Starting at 7 a.m., students—along with faculty, staff and community members—can run four miles with him or walk two with his wife.
Describe the importance of retiree health issues when designing health care benefits for retirees. What concerns are you focused on? From our members’ standpoint, they’re concerned with the fact that they’re living longer and they want to enjoy life. Our retirees have an average age of 74. We have 6,000 retired teachers over the age […]
Giving to American higher education has enjoyed a significant increase over the last decade, far exceeding inflation. Despite the recession in 2008-10, giving to higher ed grew steadily from $23 billion in 2006 to $34 billion in 2015, a healthy increase that’s highlighted by a significant and continuous stream of megagifts (more than $50 million). […]
I was watching the movie Skyfall with my family recently when I saw a scene that channels my feelings about mentorship in higher education. In this 007 film, James Bond meets his new quartermaster. What he doesn't expect is that his quartermaster, named "Q," will be half his age. "You still have spots," Bond tells him, […]
