How to enhance donor participation among alumni – what worked at

SCIENCES PO, what not. Albin Gaudaire

Director, relations with donorsSciences Po

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Understanding Sciences-Po

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• Universities and « grandes écoles »• Mission• Reputation in France and globally• Profile of typical student• Science-Po alumni’s contribution to fourth stream

income

Goals for this session

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We have learnt the following from Sciences-Po’s experience in fundraising:

• The steps that will enable you to transform your alumni community into a community of donors;

• Know your strengths and the pitfalls that should be avoided;

• Imagine the different ways in which your alumni can become involved in the life of your university;

• Know how to establish alumni associations

First step: a diagnosis

• The questions you should ask:– What is an alumnus?– How many are there?– Do you have an accurate and up to date database with their details?– Are the alumni proud of their qualification?– Who are your most famous alumni ?– What ties were kept with them after graduation?– Only one or several existing alumni associations?

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Different possible scenarios

Case 1• The university did not maintain ties with its alumni;• It doesn’t know where they are;• There is no alumni association or it only involves a very

small number of people.

Significant investment will be required to start your fundraising activities

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Different possible scenarios

Case 2• The university did not maintain ties with its alumni;• It doesn’t know where they are;• There is a dynamic alumni association which

maintained links to alumni independently of the university.

Work with the alumni associationScience-Po found itself in this situation

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Different possible scenarios

Case 3• The university maintains links with the alumni

community. It has embedded the usual goals of alumni associations in its structures. It already communicates regularly with them to keep them informed about the life of the institution and to reinforce their sense of pride in their qualification.

If this is your scenario, you are already busy with fundraising...

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Two preliminary tasks

Before communicating with your alumni, two essential things must be done:

• Prepare an ambitious speech;• Involve the leadership at your university

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Two preliminary tasks

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• The key elements of your speech :– Ambition,– Realism,– Innovation,But above all !– Instill passion, not pity.

Two preliminary tasks

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• The role of management:– Legitimization;– Removing internal blockages

Be careful not to personalize the discourse too much around a single person

Target alumni with the greatest potential

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Contacting

Creating close ties

Finding

Involving

A virtuous circle to implement

Target alumni with the greatest potential

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• The first circle of major donors will play an essential rol in your campaign;

• There are several ways of involving alumni with the greatest potential;

• Your major donors are the best ambassadors to convince further donors.

Friendraising : an essential step

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• What is friendraising ?• Why is it essential ?

– Science-Po’s example• Key elements:

– Information,– Developing a sense of pride– Have alumni come back to their place of study

The role of alumni associations

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• Necessary but sometimes cumbersome organisations

• Don’t ignore them, particularly if they are powerful

• How can they be involved ?– Control them– Associate them in a win-win partnership

Future alumni

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• Your current students are tomorrow’s alumni. Prepare them!– Develop their pride in their degree and their esprit

de corps,– Make them aware of fundraising while they are

still studying,– Let them share in the donations you raise

Summary of key elements

• Know your point of departure• Instill passion ! • Your alumni do have a wallet but they also

have an address book• Inform and involve students in the life of the

institution• Don’t treat them simply like potential donors

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Questions?

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Merci!

Albin Gaudairealbin.gaudaire@sciences-po.fr 01 45 49 63 5227 rue Saint-Guillaume75007 ParisFrance

Sciences Powww.sciences-po.fr

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