1990’s Alumni · 1990’s Alumni Getting a handle on a difficult decade of donors Brannon J....
15
1990’s Alumni Getting a handle on a difficult decade of donors Brannon J. Fisher Director of Annual Giving Bowdoin College
Transcript of 1990’s Alumni · 1990’s Alumni Getting a handle on a difficult decade of donors Brannon J....
1990’s Alumni
Getting a handle on a difficult decade of donors
Brannon J. FisherDirector of Annual Giving
Bowdoin College
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Intro and background at Bowdoin National/Societal circumstances during the 1990s “Time of life” circumstances for people who are 34 to 45 years old Institutional circumstances/climate during the 1990s vs. 2012 What Bowdoin is doing to bring the 1990’s alumni into the fold Thoughts for the future/conclusions
Bowdoin hasn’t solved the problem…
Slide 2
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Ever since they graduated, the Classes of the 1990’s have been a challenge for Bowdoin. Compared to alumni of other eras (both older and younger), they are disengaged and less loyal. Does anyone in the room represent a school for which the 1990’s alumni are a strength?
…
but we’re getting better.
Slide 3
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Since 2008, Bowdoin has gradually stepped up its efforts to bring the ‘90’s alumni into the fold. A five-year look at their participation in annual giving shows improvement. An informal poll: raise your hand if your school has seen measurable improvement with 1990’s alumni in the past three to five years.
Slide 4
Presenter
Presentation Notes
What societal circumstances existed during the 1990’s that could have impacted these alumni when they were students or young alumni? There was a recession in the early 1990’s and a recession in the early 2000’s. Between those years, however, the US had a streak of unprecedented low unemployment rate unaccompanied by inflation. What else was happening, on a societal level, when Gen X was in college that might have set them up for a lower level of engagement with their colleges?
Attitude Toward Philanthropy
Slide 5
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The rapidly rising national debt during the 1990’s threatened the future viability of entitlement programs such as social security. Student loans often contributed to increased household debt, as well. How did this impact the paradigm about saving for the future vs. discretionary philanthropy? What is the paradigm for making a generous gift (relative to one’s capacity) from a ‘90’s alum vs. a ’70’s alum?
The Student Loan Factor
Slide 6
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Throughout the 1990’s, tuition increases outpaced inflation. That meant student loans became increasingly prevalent and more burdensome. Alumni who are saddled with student loans are often reluctant to make an annual gift.
The Busy‐ness
Factor
Slide 7
Presenter
Presentation Notes
If you think about where 1990’s alumni are in their lives, it makes sense that engagement with their colleges would not be a top priority. So, to an extent, this is not just a “’90’s” problem—it’s a “12 to 22 years out of college” problem. What are some potential solutions to overcoming these distractions and making annual giving meaningful and rewarding to these alumni? What’s the best channel for communication? What’s the best message? What’s the best means of giving?
The Mobility Factor
Slide 8
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In the past two decades, the economy has become increasingly global, and young professionals have become increasingly mobile. Alumni scatter more broadly to seek jobs or graduate school. Distance from campus makes it easier to disengage. By the 1990’s, Bowdoin had begun to draw more students nationally and internationally than in past decades. Therefore, our older alumni have remained more concentrated—close to each other and close to campus. Is this phenomenon true at other schools, too?
Slide 9
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The rise of the social networking phenomenon has made it easier for individuals to erase the physical space between them. Alumni from the 1990’s are digital savvy and connected to each other—but perhaps not to their colleges. If the college hasn’t been a part of the mix in their relationships with each other the first decade out, it is tough to overcome that. Institutions have been slow adaptors in social media, and that is to our fundraising detriment. Bowdoin has been getting better at using Facebook to engage alumni. In fact, my colleague Rob Kerr from our Communications Office is giving a presentation on that topic at this conference, as I speak… I’d like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a successful social media strategy they used this year.
Institutional Climate During
the 1990’s
• Student Life• Career Services• Student Philanthropy
Slide 10
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Student life was often outsourced to fraternities and sororities. Colleges’ relationships with the Greek houses were often strained. In many cases, Greek life was eliminated in a contentious way. Career services were often rudimentary. There was little attention paid to educating students about our philanthropic aspirations for them as alumni. Are there other factors at any of your schools that played into the relationship that graduating students had with their alma mater?
Institutional Climate Today
• Student Life• Career Services• Student Philanthropy
Slide 11
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Many colleges now have more comprehensive or holistic oversight of student life. The idea of a “residential college” is thoroughly embraced. Families consider career services to be a seminal part of the investment, and colleges invest in them heavily. Social networking tools put students in touch with alumni so that they understand and feel the value of the alumni network. Colleges now recognize that education about giving is a crucial part of the student experience. Raise your hand if your school’s career services operation is under the Development umbrella? How about the Student Affairs umbrella?
Bowdoin’s Strategies
• Presidential focus• LGO focus• AGO focus• More ‘90’s era Trustees
Slide 12
Presenter
Presentation Notes
At Bowdoin, our President is very keen to develop closer ties with key alumni from the 90’s. He’s been holding some small gatherings with them regionally; he’s added four or five of them to the PVC; and we have four Board Members from the ‘90’s (three years ago we had none). Our gift officers, both LGOs and AGOs, are focused on developing relationships and raising donors’ sights. Our AGO’s are working hard to recruit more AF volunteers from the ‘90’s and broaden our volunteer reach across these classes. Would you say that the ‘90’s are well represented as trustees at your schools? Do the ‘90’s trustees pull their weight in terms of annual giving?
Bowdoin’s Initiatives
• BAC (2009‐2010); BABC (2012)
• Bowdoin Revisited (est. 2011)• PVC • 25th
Reunion Program
• Hyde Scholarships• Sundial Circle
Slide 13
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Does anyone have a successful ’90’s-specific AG strategy or initiative that they would like to share?
Bowdoin’s Results
Slide 14
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Gift revenue increasing Participation increasing Six-figure endowment gifts beginning New Trustees New PVC members
Thoughts for the Future
• Trends in AG• Trends in Gen X Philanthropy• Ramifications of Success/Failure for our
Institutions
Slide 15
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The gifts are harder to get—there’s more competition for fewer dollars. There’s more “noise” out there. Gen X philanthropists want more control over their giving. They want to place restrictions on the way their gifts are used. We’ve traditionally been asked to raise unrestricted gifts that underwrite operations. Either we educate our donors and persuade them that this is important, or we persuade our colleges to change our fundraising goals. Who in the room is having serious discussion at the Presidential/Trustee level about the role of AG at the institution? Or are we being asked to continue with the same old approach in a changing world?
