1. Friend-raising for Dollars: Applying Metrics toAlumni Programming
CASE V
December 14, 2009
Timothy State 93
Associate Vice President of Alumni Programs
Lake Forest College
state@lakeforest.edu
847-735-6022

2. Questions?
What are some of the ways you are currently measuring your results?
Who do you benchmark against?
Does data drive the front-end? Or the back-end?
3. Lake Forest College
15,000 Forester alumni of record
13,000 Forestersolicitable alumni
Traditional 4-year national liberal arts college; 1,400 students
30 miles north of Chicago
6,000 alumni, parents and friends in Chicagoland
Top 5 markets 500 to 800 alumni
Top 20 markets over 100 alumni
1997 Beginning of Alumni Program
4. Market Research is not Academic Research
We are looking for trends, no absolutes.
5. Front-End Data Drives Programming Efforts
Applying Data Screening to
more than just Major Donors
6. Forester Pride
7. Sesquicentennial Campaign
Public Launch in 2007
To raise $100 million
8. Campaign Data Screening
17,127 Records screened by GG&A
Includes Alumni, Non-Grad Alumni, Parents, Friends
Assigned a geocode and appended with census block and tract information
Enhanced with Claritas PRIZM Lifestage Segments
16,631 (97.1%) of records matched
GG&A enhanced with Prospect Profile and Prospect Explorer
Provided Annual Giving, Major Gift, and Planned Giving Codes
9. Potential via AG Code
10. Lifestage Segmentation
11. Defining a Primary Market
12. Relative Draw Index
RDI is a percent divided by a percent to give you a ratio. 1.0 is even. Below 1.0 is under-drawing, or poor. Above 1.0 is over-drawing, or good.
Group of 100 at homecoming, 20% yellow
Population of 1,000, 30% yellow
Divide 20% by 30% = 0.66, or underdraw
13. Homecoming RDI
14. Data- Driving Homecoming Today
15. Homecoming RDI
16. Who is Coming ?
Three out of Four are Donors
17. Who is Coming ?
A Significant Number are Volunteers
18. Homecoming Weekend
Our greatest opportunity to reinforce our mission is possible because
of alumni support.
19. Back-End Data Proves Effectiveness
Building the Case for a Cocktail.
Or a lecture.
Or a tour.
20. Why BenchmarkAgainst Yourself?
Lake Forest College
Homecoming
Grinnell College
Homecoming
Homecoming
Reunion Weekend and Family Weekend
6,000 Alumni within 1 hour
Homecoming
No Homecoming Hosted
2,000 Alumni in all of Iowa
Des Moines, 1,100
21. Why BenchmarkAgainst Yourself?
Lake Forest College
Sarah Lawrence
Alumni are not clustered in markets
Top Markets outside of Chicago have less than 1,000 alumni
Social networking important part of programming
Faculty on the Road produces lower turnout
Alumni are clustered in markets
Top Three Markets all have over 5,000 alumni
Intellectual stimulation is an important part of programming
Faculty on the Road receives a huge response
22. Benchmarking Events
Traditional Methods
Head counts
Number of events
Response rates
Benchmarking MethodsConsumer Marketing Principles
Primary/Target market
Relative Draw Index
Event Attendance vs. Giving Participation Trends
Cost per guest
Market coverage
23. Attendance by Class Year
24. Event Attendance and Giving
25. Event Attendees whoIncrease Giving
26. Average Gift of Event Attendees
27. Event Frequency vs. Gift Frequency
28. Host Committees Produce
29. Cost per Guest
30. 2009 Reunions Drew a12.3%Response Rate
A 10% Response Rate is a Success.
But that is going up.
31. Admissions Volunteer AF
32. CAC Volunteers AF
33. A&D Volunteer AF
34. Volunteer AF Participation
35. Total Volunteer AF Giving
36. Closing Thoughts
Timothy State 93
Associate Vice President of Alumni Programs
Lake Forest College
state@lakeforest.edu
847-735-6022