K-12 Fundraising: Winning Donor Mindshare in the Attention Economy

52%

of millennial alumni express interest in monthly giving

Young alumni represent the potential donor segment with the greatest opportunity for growth. However, unlike older donor cohorts, this segment responds more to cause-aligned messaging than traditional appeals based on institutional need. They are also much more likely to prefer mobile and online giving, rather than writing a check or giving over the phone. Advancement leaders need to rethink the content and channels of their appeals to engage these alumni now—and start building the pipeline to major gifts in the future.

Download the complete publication or explore the table of contents for six best practice solutions to activate young alumni giving and build a reliable stream of recurring gifts.

The need to act now

As operating budgets tighten and concerns about unsustainable rates of tuition become more widespread, advancement is an increasingly critical area of investment for independent schools. But for many, parental giving rates are hitting a natural ceiling, leaving advancement leaders looking to engage other potential donors. But among a particularly promising cohort of donors—young alumni—independent schools have seen a drop in participation rates that falls far below participation in higher education. If schools don’t act now to inflect young alumni giving, they won’t only be missing out on advancement dollars in the present, they’ll be failing to cultivate a crucial major gifts donor segment for the future.

Advancement for the 21st century

40%

of companies are moving to develop subscription-based business models

In order to capture this essential donor cohort, schools need to meet young alumni where they are. They want their gifts to change the world, no matter their size, and they want the giving process to be as efficient as possible. To engage this segment more effectively, schools need to optimize their mobile and online giving processes, while emphasizing that even small-dollar gifts make a difference worth caring about.

Looking beyond young alumni to the entire donor pool, many independent schools are missing advancement dollars by failing to take advantage of a major consumer trend: the ‘subscription economy.’ Consumers in all age groups increasingly want a “set it and forget it” option for recurring purchases and donations are no different. To really get donors into the habit of giving, schools must make recurring giving options obvious and simple, while creating opportunities for prospects to build automatic donations into their online purchasing routines.

Section 1: Make it easy to give

• Tactic 1: Donor-friendly mobile giving
• Tactic 2: Hardwired follow-up triggers

Section 2: Connect alumni to a shared cause

• Tactic 3: Cause-aligned crowdfunding campaigns
• Tactic 4: Donor passion giving opportunities

Section 3: Get donors into the habit of giving

• Tactic 5: Integrated affiliate fundraising
• Tactic 6: Embedded recurring giving

Appendix

• Strategies for alumni and student state collection
• Which mobile design solution is right for me?
• Mobile-friendly design in practice
• Choosing the right crowdfunding platform for your needs