Alumni Fundraising: How to Secure Your Legacy in 6 Steps

Fraternity and sorority alumni recognize and understand the positive lifelong impact of their chapter membership. As they graduate, they expect that one day they will be asked to pay forward the support they received as collegiate members.

Savvy chapters know that they need a proactive, thoughtful, strategic approach to accomplish several key goals: Keeping in contact with alumni, building genuine relationships, and creating opportunities for consistent giving. 

This guide outlines how to secure support for your fraternity or sorority and future-proof your strategies for years to come. Specifically, we’ll cover:

• Why is alumni fundraising essential?
• The Current State of Alumni Giving
• Types of Alumni Gifts
• 6 Fundraising Strategies to Encourage Alumni Giving

As you reimagine your organization’s alumni engagement and giving program, remember that you don’t have to develop it alone. Help from a professional fundraising firm like Pennington & Company can be extremely beneficial as you create a long-term, effective outreach strategy.

Why Alumni Fundraising Is Critical for Your Fraternity or Sorority    

• Enabling a great experience for current student members. Whether you’re working on building a new chapter house, looking to upgrade your billing software, or seeking support for your scholarship fund, alumni donation dollars can go a long way in helping a chapter accomplish its goals.
• Re-engaging alumni. Asking for donations requires your team to do regular outreach, which translates to consistent communication and relationship-building opportunities with your alumni. This pays off long-term as alumni continue to give and spread the news about the good work your chapter is doing.
• Boosting awareness for your school. Donating helps alumni cement their legacy, not only at your fraternity or sorority but at the institution generally. Remaining in great standing with your school is crucial for your longevity and might even help you receive more funding from it.  

The Current State of Alumni Gifts

It’s one thing to know why alumni giving matters. But what are the current realities of alumni giving? Do people actually give back to their alma maters? 

The short answer is yes, absolutely! In fact, alumni giving has been growing over the past few years. Consider these statistics:

• Total giving to universities totaled $58 billion in 2023. (Source: CASE)
• Alumni who have graduated in the past five years are more engaged in communication. (Source: Marts&Lundy)
• In 2023, alumni giving to U.S. universities jumped by 10.2%, yielding $13.5 billion in funding. (Source: Candid)

What does this mean for your fraternity or sorority? Clearly, alumni are invested in giving back to the schools they attended. There’s something special about being a fraternity or sorority member that deepens that investment and desire to give back. Knowing this, your chapter can confidently proceed when soliciting alumni donations!

Types of Alumni Gifts

Before diving into specific strategies for securing donations from your fraternity or sorority’s alumni, you should understand the different types of alumni gifts. This can help you sharpen your fundraising strategy and create targeted appeals that will help you meet specific funding goals. 

Major Gifts

Major gifts are the largest donations that your chapter receives, typically from just a handful of donors. Every organization has different criteria that specify what constitutes a major gift—a major gift for your fraternity might be $5,000, while a major gift for a fraternity on a different college campus could be $15,000.

Major gifts are often critical to reaching larger organizational goals and completing capital campaign projects, like building a new chapter house or establishing an endowment fund. Securing major gifts takes more effort than just simply asking for them. You’ll need a strategic plan for identifying potential major donors through prospect research, cultivating genuine relationships with those prospective donors, and making your ask when the time is right.

Here are some other fast facts to know about major gifts:

• Endowments and capital campaigns receive the bulk of major gifts to universities. That being said, your chapter needs to stand out to make sure your alumni think of you and the school when they make a gift
• Major gifts are increasingly given through non-cash assets (especially stock and DAF grants). Your chapter should understand how to talk about and accept these gifts, especially since universities are by far the biggest receivers of stock donations.
• DAFs are becoming a preferred giving method for many wealthy donors. Prospective major donors among alumni likely have them or are aware of them—get yourself on their radar with a survey and DAF mentions on your broad communications.

If your fraternity or sorority is aiming for major gifts, your best plan of action is to work with a fundraising expert. For example, we at Pennington & Company have a wealth of experience and have helped chapters raise over $1 billion collectively. We can guide you through the process of cultivating major donors and securing major gifts.

Planned Gifts

Planned gifts are given as part of a donor’s financial or estate plans. Legacy giving refers more specifically to bequested gifts in a donor’s will, which is disbursed after they pass away. According to Freewill, there are three general categories of planned gifts: 

• Trusts: A trust provides tax benefits to its founder in exchange for giving an annual portion of the trust money to a charitable organization. 
• Charitable annuities: A charitable annuity is a contract between a person and a charitable organization. The donor contributes a large amount of money, and the organization agrees to pay that donor a fixed income for the rest of their life. The complicated process of setting up a charitable annuity is usually only taken on by a very large organization. 
• Bequests: A bequest is the most popular form of planned giving because it’s straightforward. In their legal will, donors allocate a set dollar amount or percentage of their estate to a chosen organization. 

Many organizations, including fraternities and sororities, miss out on planned gifts because they neglect to educate their youngest donors about planned giving opportunities. By offering educational resources and publicizing different planned giving opportunities early on, you can create a sustainable planned giving program. 

One-Time Donations

A one-time donation is a gift made by a fraternity or sorority alum without subsequent gifts pledged in the future. And they can be gifts of any size! 

You can solicit one-time donations from your alumni in a myriad of ways, from hosting a t-shirt sale and including a link to an online donation page in an alumni email newsletter to hosting an end-of-year gala or mailing out fundraising letters. The possibilities are endless!

For one-time gifts, urge donors who will give only once to give big. You can do this by creating up-sell opportunities, such as asking if alumni who purchased tickets to a gala would also like to buy a branded water bottle. Or, create emotional incentives, such as emphasizing the impact each gift will have on improving the experience for future students.

Recurring Donations

Even better than one-time donations are recurring donations that alumni give regularly, such as every month. In fact, an alum who gives just a little each month can end up having a huge impact over the course of a year.

While these donations add up to big earnings for your school, recurring gifts are ultimately easier on donors’ wallets. Let’s say an alumnus plans to give a one-time donation of $50. If they opt to give a monthly gift of $10 instead, they’ll give $120 over the course of a year. 

To encourage more recurring gifts, create suggested giving amounts for both recurring and one-time gifts that contrast a large single donation with a comparatively small one. This will subtly push alumni to become recurring donors.

But before that, to give your alumni the chance to make recurring donations, you’ll need to set up a recurring giving program. Set up an online donation form where you give donors the chance to self-select into your program and input their payment information. Then, they’ll be automatically billed for their donation each month. This way they won’t have to worry about returning to your donation page each month to give, and your school can feel confident with this reliable donation stream.

Matching Gifts

Matching gifts are a type of corporate philanthropy in which employers match the financial gifts their employees give to charitable organizations. Usually, this is done at a 1:1 ratio, but sometimes employers offer a 2:1 or even 3:1 ratio. 

Alumni who leverage their employer’s matching gift programs can easily increase their donations without spending more money themselves. Here’s how you can give your fraternity or sorority alumni the chance to find out if they’re eligible for matching gifts and set them up to increase their impact:

1. Partner with a matching gifts provider to embed a matching gifts database on your online donation page.
2. Encourage donors to use the database to search for their employer and see if they are eligible for gift matching. 
3. Once a donor determines that they are eligible for gift matching, they will be paired with the necessary forms they need to fill out to have their employer match their gift. Some providers even offer auto-submission capabilities to take care of this step for your donors.

Even though matching gifts are easy for donors to take advantage of, many donors are unsure if their employers even offer gift matching. Embedding a matching gifts database is a great first step toward getting your donors’ gifts matched. You should also take the opportunity to spread the word about matching gifts. 

Developing a better understanding of the different types of alumni gifts that can be donated to your fraternity or sorority can give you a leg up in crafting your fundraising strategies and donation solicitation plans. Let's explore some top fundraising and solicitation strategies to maximize alumni giving!

6 Fundraising Strategies to Encourage Alumni Giving

1. Upgrade your Digital Infrastructure

Once you’re to the point where you’re actually asking alumni for donations, you’ll only get real results if you have user-friendly donation tools. Here are some of the essential tools you’ll need to meet your funding goals: 

• A well-designed website: Designing a functional and aesthetically pleasing website can give alumni a place to go for information on your fraternity or sorority’s current activities, upcoming events, and donation opportunities. 
• Online donation page: You can host an online donation page on your website. When building out your donation page, ensure that you keep the donation form questions to a minimum to reduce the chance that potential donors will abandon their plan to donate. Keep the process simple and convenient.
• Text-to-give software: With text-to-give, alumni can give to your organization on the go. All they have to do is text a dedicated keyword to your organization’s designated text-to-give number, and they’ll gain access to an online donation page. Choose keywords that are short and easy to remember and type. 
• Peer-to-peer platform: Peer-to-peer campaigns are unique in that they empower alumni to fundraise on your behalf using their own dedicated donation page. A peer-to-peer platform can help you kickstart the process of setting those pages up for campaign participants. 
• Crowdfunding platform: Crowdfunding takes place outside of your website and involves people coming together to give on a dedicated giving page where you post consistent encouragement and updates. A crowdfunding platform enables you to create this page, which your student members and alumni can then share. 
• Matching gift database: As mentioned above, a matching gift database allows alumni donors to check their matching gift eligibility and start preparing the necessary forms to secure that gift from their employer. 
• CRM: As previously mentioned, a donor-specific CRM allows you to track detailed information about alumni donors, allowing you to customize your outreach practices further. Bonus points if you use a database built for sororities and fraternities, like OmegaFi!

The list above focuses on online donations, but you should also be prepared to offer offline avenues for donations. Some alumni may prefer to mail in a check after receiving a fundraising letter. You should also provide a phone number for those who wish to arrange a gift over the phone or who have questions.

2. Conduct Prospect Research

Prospect research is the process of identifying the alumni who have the capacity (wealth) and affinity (warmth) that indicate they may be willing to give to your fraternity or sorority. Most often, prospect research is conducted in the early stages of a capital campaign (as part of a pre-campaign feasibility study) and used to identify potential major donors. 

When conducting prospect research, you’ll be looking for the following indicators of their likelihood to give:

• Wealth (stock holdings, business affiliations, real estate ownership)
• Warmth (engagement history with your organization, nonprofit volunteering or donation history, personal information like interests and values) 

Prospects who exhibit both types of markers are those that you want to pursue.

It’s best to rely on a fundraising expert to conduct prospect research on your behalf. Most fraternities and sororities don’t have the time, tools, or experience to conduct effective prospect research themselves. An expert will not only know what to look for but also help you rank your top prospects so you’re set up to solicit major gifts deliberately and efficiently. 

3. Improve Stewardship Practices

Effective stewardship leads to long-lasting relationships with alumni, which then leads to fundraising success. To improve your alumni stewardship practices, re-evaluate the tools and practices that you’re leveraging. Start with these three tips for strengthening your approach to stewardship: 

• Evaluate and standardize your current stewardship practices. Ensure you have the basics down by gauging your current approach to alumni communication cadences and data management. Taking a uniform approach to stewardship ensures that every alumnus gets a quality stewardship experience, no matter if they’re chatting with your headquarters director, alumni chapter leadership, or house corporations.
• Adhere to alumni communication preferences. Even in a primarily digital world, there are still people who respond best to paper. Take the time to understand your alumni’s preferences and cater to those preferences during stewardship. You can accomplish this by segmenting your alumni and then choosing the right outreach channels. This will pay off as you’re able to better connect with individuals and engage them in your fundraising work. For example, Pennington & Company offers both print and digital newsletters to help fraternities and sororities meet different alumni needs. 
• Iterate and scale your efforts over time. Just as your fraternity or sorority changes over time, your alumni community grows and changes as more members graduate. Consistently assess and pivot your stewardship strategy based on demographic data, key performance indicators, and current trends so you always take the most informed approach. 

As you revamp your stewardship strategy, remember to think bigger than just securing a donation. Forging and maintaining genuine relationships with alumni opens the doors to multiple engagement opportunities, so keep these objectives in mind as you create your strategy. 

4. Incorporate New Ways to Give

Consistently offering novel ways to contribute not only inspires new alumni to join your program but also might convince existing donors to give more. 

For instance, if your chapter has alumni employed in technology or financial services industries, they might be more interested in donating their cryptocurrency holdings instead of cash. Along with the aforementioned ways to give, here are some additional future-proof ideas:

• In-kind gifts, which are contributions of non-monetary items. This might look like alumni providing pro-bono services or a venue for your formal.  
• Gifts of stocks or securities, which is usually facilitated by a stock donation processing platform. 
• Volunteer grants, which is when an alumnus’ employer donates financially once the alumnus has volunteered a certain number of hours. 

It can be easy to get sucked into all of these new ways to give, but remember, not every new avenue is right for your chapter. To determine the most feasible ways to give to your alumni base, poll your alumni on which they’d be most interested in and use their answers as a guide. Also, be sure to check your budget, as these new ways to give take time and (sometimes) funds to get up and running.

5. Make Follow-Up Cadences Memorable

One of the most important aspects of fundraising and stewardship is how you follow up with your alumni donors. Leave a lasting impression by trying these tactics:

• Keep alumni informed on their donation’s impact. When your alumni make a gift to your fraternity or sorority, they’re investing in your success. Inform them about their donation’s impact on your fraternity or sorority. For instance, if an alumnus gives $500 to a scholarship fund, inform them of who won the scholarship, their life ambitions, and how the scholarship will help them achieve their goals.
• Use unique communication channels. Your alumni are used to receiving an email or printed letter, but what if you tried something more attention-grabbing? For example, you might send a personalized video message checking in on your donors or mail a handwritten letter. Putting a little extra effort into your follow-up helps alumni remember your chapter and feel more connected to the organization.
• Celebrate personal milestones. Your donors might expect you to touch base when you have an upcoming fundraising initiative, but you can pleasantly surprise them by reaching out on personal milestones. For instance, you could send your alumni messages to commemorate their birthdays, anniversaries, and career events. This shows your alumni that you value them as people, not just as supporters or members of your alumni association.

6. Use an Alumni Fundraising Letter Template

Fine-tuning your alumni fundraising letters with a template ensures you have the right messaging every time. Your letter should thank the donor for their generosity, highlight how their donation will impact your chapter, and explain other benefits. For example, you could structure your donor thank-you message like this:

[Fraternity/Sorority Letterhead or Logo]

[Date]

[Donor’s Full Name] 

[Donor’s Address]

Dear [Donor’s First Name],

A warm hello from your [Fraternity/Sorority Name] family! It is with great gratitude and a sense of honor that we acknowledge your generous donation to [Fraternity/Sorority Name]. Your contribution not only signifies your enduring commitment to our values and traditions but also strengthens the bond that has united us as members across generations.

Your gift plays a crucial part in propelling our chapter initiatives forward, securing the [Fraternity/Sorority] legacy in the short- and long-term. Whether it's enhancing our community philanthropy programs, funding academic scholarships, or preserving our beloved chapter house, every contribution, like yours, leaves a permanent mark on our community.

As an alumnus, you understand the significant role our chapter has played in transforming young lives, fostering lifelong friendships, and even infusing our community work with our values. By contributing to the chapter, you are taking a stand for our mission and directly nourishing future changemakers of the community.

We are honored to include your name on our [Alumni/ae Donor Wall or other permanent recognition fixture], an inspirational monument of your belief in our cause and how much we’ve flourished as a chapter with your help. 

In the coming months, we look forward to sharing how your gift of [Amount] to the [Fund or project supported] has made a difference in our community.

(If applicable, include the following) Our chapter has already [achieved benchmark in the past], and this year we hope to [achieve a larger goal]. We also invite you to join us at our upcoming [Annual Alumni/ae Meet/Event Name], where we'll celebrate our fraternity's/sorority's growth, achievements, and the steadfast support of alumni/ae like you.

Once again, thank you for your generous gift and for embodying the selfless spirit of [Fraternity/Sorority Name]. We are beyond fortunate to count you not just as a brother/sister, but as a beacon of encouragement and inspiration for all of us.

With utmost gratitude,

[Your Name] [Your Title/Position] [Fraternity/Sorority Name]

[Handwritten signature]

Popular Alumni Fundraising Ideas

Now that you know everything about organizing an alumni fundraising campaign, it’s time to start brainstorming how you’d like to begin. Use these fundraising ideas to inspire your alumni community to give back.

Matching Gift Drive

As previously mentioned, many of your alumni likely work at companies that offer a matching gift program but just don’t know it yet. Promote matching gift fundraising by hosting a matching gift drive. You could even make it a challenge by asking a corporate sponsor to increase their match ratio if a certain threshold is reached; for instance, if over $10,000 is raised, the donor will begin matching at a 3:1 ratio instead of 1:1.

Chapter Fundraising Challenge

There’s nothing that motivates alumni quite like friendly competition, and with over 9 million fraternity or sorority alumni in the United States alone, you have ample opportunities to harness that energy. Ask alumni chapters from different universities to compete in a fundraising competition and award the winning chapter with free merchandise or an alumni reunion on campus. 

Recurring Giving Society

Alumni who give regularly want to ensure you have sustainable support for your mission and programs. Encourage other alumni to contribute by starting a recurring giving society. You could offer perks for those who join, such as exclusive social events, merchandise, and networking opportunities.

Benefit Gala

This classic fundraising event allows your alumni to get dressed up and enjoy a meal and entertainment, all for a great cause. Monetize the event either by charging admission per head or per table. Keep in mind that galas are usually elegant events, so don’t be afraid to charge more than you would for a more casual fundraising event.

 Yearly Giving Day

You may have heard of #GivingTuesday, a yearly worldwide day of giving to nonprofits. With $3.1 billion raised in 2023 alone, it’s clear that the yearly giving day format works — and your sorority or fraternity can leverage it. Whether you choose to throw your giving day on Giving Tuesday or another significant date for your organization, use your marketing materials to stress the urgency of donating before the day ends. 

Peer-to-Peer Campaigns 

Your alumni network is one of its biggest strengths. Put it to work by turning your alumni themselves into volunteer fundraisers with peer-to-peer fundraising. This setup empowers your alumni to host their own fundraising campaign for your sorority or fraternity. Plus, Pennington & Company can set up your campaign for you so you can launch it with expert guidance. 

Legacy Dedication

This idea works especially well for large-scale gifts that directly contribute to your organization’s legacy, such as planned gifts and capital campaign contributions. Depending on the gift’s size, offer to immortalize the donor’s generosity by including their name on a brick, donor wall, or even a building.

Whatever fundraising ideas you choose, ensure they align with your sorority or fraternity’s mission statement and enhance your members’ experience with your organization.

The Value of Working with an Alumni Fundraising Consultant

When it comes to alumni fundraising, there’s no magic wand that you can wave to get results. However, working with an expert fundraising consulting team can help you understand how to get alumni to donate and boost ROI. Look for a team that:

• Has a proven track record
• Specializes in fraternity and sorority fundraising 
• Offers a variety of services

The leading provider of fundraising services for fraternities and sororities is Pennington & Company. Their expert team has helped fraternities and sororities raise over $1 billion across the board. Plus, they can help you manage annual campaigns, capital campaigns, fundraising feasibility studies, prospect research, alumni communications, and peer-to-peer campaigns. 

Additional Resources

When it comes to alumni fundraising, there’s no magic wand that you can wave to get results. Instead, securing gifts from your fraternity or sorority’s alumni will take thoughtful strategies and genuine effort to build lasting relationships. By using the tips in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to engaging your alumni and securing donations!

Want to learn more about strengthening relationships with alumni or other asp

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• Fraternity & Sorority Management Software 101: A Guide. Your sorority or fraternity can soar with the right software by your side. Choose your best option using the tips in this guide.
• Fraternity & Sorority Management: The Essential Guide. Managing a sorority or fraternity chapter involves a lot of moving parts. Learn the basics in this guide!