Presentation given at the CASE V conference in Chicago in December of 2011.

1. Exploring and Encouraging Young Alumni Giving
Development Track sponsored by Aria

2. CASE V
Exploring and Encouraging Young
Alumni Giving
A.K.A.
Asking More of Our Young Alumni
Tim Ponisciak, University of Notre Dame
Carol Phillips, Brand Amplitude

3. Q1
• What percent of millennials gave to
nonprofit organizations in 2010?
• Answer: 93%
*Source: Millennial Donors Report 2011: Achieve/JGA

4. Q2
• How many millennial donors gave to 3
or more nonprofit organizations in
2010?
• Answer: 61%
*Source: Millennial Donors Report 2011: Achieve/JGA

5. Q3
• How many millennial donors gave at
least $150 to at least one
organization?
• Answer: 42% (almost 20% gave $500
or more, in total)
*Source: Millennial Donors Report 2011: Achieve/JGA

6. What does this mean?
• We may be asking too little of our young
donors Young Alumni Participation Rate
FY2011
* *
*Insidehighered.com, July 12, 2011

7. Notre Dame Young Alumni
• 20,000 Young Alumni (0-10 years out)
• 32% of young alumni give annually
• Collectively donate $3,000,000 each year

8. Notre Dame Young Alumni
• Strong Feelings!
– ND is a cherished experience
– It is an experience that is regarded as
unique, a privilege

9. Notre Dame Young Alumni
I like to call it the happiest place on earth
– Disneyland’s got nothing! I found
friends of a lifetime, discovered my
passions, and fine-tuned my intellectual
capacities.
When you meet another ND grad, you
know they understand the ND
experience, and how it shaped your
life. It’s different than how others
described their University experience.

10. Notre Dame Young Alumni
• Consider Notre Dame their home.
• They are a member of the Notre Dame family
For which activities have you been
back to campus since graduation?

11. Notre Dame Young Alumni

12. Young Alumni Giving Challenge
1. Increase current giving participation rate of 32%,
to align with general alumni rate of 42%
2. Migrate existing donors to higher giving levels

13. Key Questions
• What’s the right amount to ask?
– Don’t want to ask too little or
too much
• What do we offer in return?
– What do they want from us?
“Just Right”
• What’s the right way to ask?
– Key messages that appeal to young alums
– What vehicles to present message

14. Research Approach
• Survey of young alumni donors
– Compared responses from donors who gave
under $100 to higher level donors
– Assessed interest in a young alumni recognition
society
• Four online focus groups
– Explored message and benefit options among
interested alumni donors

15. Key Findings
• High levels of interest among high ($100+) and
low(<$100) donor segments

16. Key Findings
• A recognition society gives them a target to
reach for
I think it'd be nice to give young alums a target… I
know a lot of friends just give the minimum because
they don't see a reason to give more
• They particularly liked the idea of being
recognized, along with their peers
Like being defined as young
alumni. Makes me feel proud and
involved.

17. Key Findings
• Right amount: $500
– Big enough to be meaningful to a school, but not
out of reach for a young alum
$500, it's high enough above the minimum to make
you feel like you're doing something extra, but not
unrealistic for a lot people.
$500 seems pretty good.

18. Key Findings
• Modest Benefit Expectations
+ +
Personal
Acknowledgement Regional Events
Football Benefits

19. Other Findings
• General mailings • Mailings that make a
not memorable connection to student
life are more impactful
• Ideally, young alumni
want to direct their
giving

20. Other Findings
Prefer Email Online Donations
4Quarterly
Fundraising

21. Introducing… the Corby Society
Committee of 25
young alumni advisors
Launched in
September 2010
Introduced via email,
print, e-newsletters and
Minimum donation: $500
social media
Most recent class year: $250

22. Introducing… the Corby Society
• Main Benefit: Tickets and Parking Passes

23. Initial Invitation

24. Member Engagement

25. Results of the Big Leap
• 470 members in Year One.
(approximately 2% of young alumni)
• $224,000 raised, half of which was
incremental
• Increase of 100% for donor group

26. Questions? Contact Us!
Tim Ponisciak
Assistant Director, Notre Dame Annual Giving
574-631-1323
tponisci@nd.edu
Carol Phillips
President, Brand Amplitude
269-429-6526
Carol@BrandAmplitude.com
www.BrandAmplitude.com
Twitter: @carol_phillips

27. Session handouts are available at
www.casefive.org/conference/presentations/
Username: CASEV_attendee | Password: CASE_FIVE
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