SUNY Oswego

public school founded in 1861 as a teacher’s college7,100 full time undergraduatesundergraduate majors, minors and graduate programs in:

College of Arts and Sciences (37%) School of Education (29%) School of Business (20%) School of Communications, Media and the Arts (14%)

75,000 alumni worldwide

The Fund for Oswego

funds bridge the gap between tuition and cost of education academic programs student scholarships technological upgrades cultural opportunities

The Fund for Oswego staff Director of Annual Giving Associate Director of Annual Giving TeleFund Manager

Young Alumni

2002-2011 graduatesnon-traditional studentsminimal cultivation of philanthropy

How do we motivate these recent graduates to support our institutions?

Direct Mail SolicitationsEmphasis on education rather than donor acquisition……why is alumni support important?

Electronic SolicitationsEliminate distracting visuals and shorten message……immediate call to action!

Suggested Steps to Developing a Young Alumni Giving Campaign:

1.) Conduct Research

2.) Define Primary Goal

3.) Plan the Work

4.) Recruit Support

5.) Work the Plan

6.) Celebrate Success!

What might the successful implementation of these steps look like?

Research:Rice to receive AFP’s highest fundraising honor (http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=13997)

A component of the Rice Annual Fund and also part of Rice's $1 billion Centennial Campaign…the Centennial Challenge to Young Alumni is a gift-matching program created by the Resource Development team to reverse a decline in contributions from Rice graduates…the challenge resulted in a swift turnaround in alumni giving. The number of young alumni donors increased by 25 percent. More than 1,600 young alumni made annual gifts, and nearly half of those were new or lapsed donors.

Research:Why Young Alumni Don’t Give

(http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/11/why-young-alumni-don%E2%80%99t-give)

In conclusion, schools need to find a new medium by which to appeal to their young alumni. They must also provide them with the incentives to ‘give’ in a number of different contexts. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this at low cost is by leveraging the social network that already exists among an active alumni base using technology. The popularity of online social networks happened for a reason – the ability to connect, find and access people and information 24/7 is a huge source of value.

Define Primary Goal

Surpass GOLD numbers during the month as compared to March 2010:total donors - 38total gifts - $2,649.64

Plan the Work

Plan the Work

•Postcard Distribution 2/25/11•Facebook Event Begins 2/28/11•Acknowledgement Pieces Throughout March •Website and “O-mometer” Updates Throughout March 2011•Are you ready for this? E-Blast 3/1/11•Lake E-ffect (electronic newsletter) Feature 3/4/11•Get Ready to Rumble! E-Blast (Flash) 3/14/11•Don’t Pass on This Opportunity! E-Blast (Flash) 3/24/11•TeleFund “Blitz” Script 3/27-3/31/11•Don’t Miss Out! E-Blast 3/29/11•Everybody Dance Now! E-Blast 4/6/11•Oswego Magazine Article Summer 2011

Plan the Work

Recruit Support

•Colleagues

•Leadership Gift Donor

•Volunteers

Determine BudgetMarch Matchness

• Printing - $1561.99 (postcards)• Consulting Fees - $700 (flash production)

Work the Plan

TeleFund “Blitz”

Celebrate Success!

Our final GOLD numbers from the month of March in FY 11:

total donors – 135total gifts - $5,938.73