The new blended learning environment due to COVID-19 is forcing higher education institutions to rethink their donor strategies. Administrators are coming up new and innovative ways to widen their donor base and secure much needed funding to continue to meet the needs of their students.
One of the first biggest changes to fundraising during COVID was the introduction of intentional engagement, according to Michele Ewing, Vice President of Advancement at Goucher College.
“There has always been a focus on relationships; however, connecting with alumnae/i has now taken on new meaning, more personal—checking in with people on how they are doing, rather than only talk of business,” Ewing said.
The second big change at Goucher was the quick adaptation to campaign messaging in order to reach out more frequently. In other words, “micro bursts or mini campaigns.”
Goucher has integrated GiveCampus and ThankView into the fundraising process, which offers the opportunity to produce these mini campaigns. With real time analytics, donors can see their gift immediately tracked and how it is impacting the overall campaign goals. On Giving Tuesday, the college launched the Season of Giving via GiveCampus, and had trend-watching with participants throughout the day; similar to watching the NASDAQ tracking progress to goals.
So how are the advancement teams reaching out during COVID?
According to Ewing, “What’s old is new again—initially a lot of phone calls and handwritten notes.” And while of course Zoom or Microsoft Teams offer a face-to-face option, many people are getting fatigued by this method.
Eric Johnson, Senior Vice President for university advancement at Tufts University, agrees that there is a disconnect from relationships that did not exist prior to COVID.
“Zoom works well with people we already have connections with, but it’s hard to build new relationships with Zoom,” Johnson said. Previously, Tufts would host events in the city that would bring together the president and deans face-to-face with alumni and donors.
There is, however, a positive to using video conference technologies as they allow for an increased frequency of meetings for both small and large group conversations. Plus, CEOs, presidents and community leaders who would normally not be able to make time for a visit are now able to schedule impromptu meetings from home.
Beyond the platform, the demographic of financial contributors has also changed during COVID-19.
Campaign officers are still reaching out and still receiving generous gifts from big donors and members of the board of trustees. Many of these corner stone supporters are stepping up to the plate to fund areas of personal interest, and more importantly, to areas of greatest need for the college.
What has changed is the massive increase in smaller, first-time gifts from alumni who want to support students and their experiences (albeit virtual), in response to requests to help maintain college operations.
Where the funds are allocated once donated has also changed for many universities. Since the pandemic hit, most colleges have geared campaigns towards urgent student needs. Ewing suspects this trend will continue for the next several years.
Johnson said that when the pandemic first hit, the priority was to fund WiFi and computer connections when students were sent into virtual learning last spring. Also, a priority was the continuation of financial aid for students, who at Tufts are guaranteed their funding continue through all four years of school. In 2020, that need increased by $5 million for undergraduate students alone. So, while the last fiscal school year was not affected to a large degree, this year Tuft’s fundraising goal has been adjusted from $170 million to $140 million.
“In this unprecedented time, with virtual enrollment increasing and in-person residential options marginalized, many colleges are feeling the pinch of ramping up on technology and curriculum delivery,” Ewing said.
In addition, Goucher specifically is working on diversifying funding streams, so there is more emphasis on corporate and foundation funding to support programs, and where possible, assistance to defray operations.
“Our goal is to secure funding for the unexpected, but necessary investments and expenditures for PPP and safety measures across campus, while maintaining support to deliver rigorous academic offerings in these new conditions,” Ewing said.
Goucher’s team also evaluated their fundraising objectives in the spring and narrowed down its scope to the most urgent needs, and what would have the biggest long-term impact on the next generation of students. With that idea in mind, new funding for professorships and scholarships remain important, while still supporting one capital project—the Science Research Center – critical to enhancing student experiences and strengthening their career readiness.
Tufts is also outfitting its campus for the way of the future. Some funding allocations have shifted to include more technology and WiFi outfitting on campus (as well as off) for hybrid learning. Plus, the university was in the middle of building a new home for its economics, computer science and math courses. The building was recently redesigned to increase the technology budget for the new normal.
Moving forward past the pandemic, fundraising will continue to reflect the permanent changes in higher education.
“Now with vaccinations pending, I think we will move to a hybrid model of doing business—in person and virtual—so people don’t have to travel to feel fully engaged in a project or fundraising effort,” said Ewing.
Today’s donors are savvy, have competing interests and distractions, and are exhausted by both impersonal technology and lengthy campaigns. So micro-campaigns (with a single or limited focus) where results are provided and projects are completed in a shorter time period, will continue to be the best way to engage, she said.
“In six months, I can’t imagine a fundraising team that won’t be utilizing more immediate and frequent giving information, assessments and access to data dashboards for nuanced, strategic decision-making,” Ewing added.