The document discusses strategies used by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to increase annual fundraising from young alumni, known as GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade). WPI focuses on engaging and soliciting donations from recent graduates, who make up a growing portion of their alumni base. They employ strategies like social media outreach, challenges, and events tailored to young alumni. While GOLD donors give smaller gifts on average, WPI's most successful channel for soliciting from them is calls made by their student calling center. The university aims to further grow GOLD giving through expanded student philanthropy programs and targeted communications.

1. Small Shop, Big Results
Molding Young Minds to be the
Donors of the Future
Cristina Picozzi – Assistant Director, Annual Giving
Aubrey Valley – Senior Associate Director, Alumni Relations

2. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
The Basics
• Why focus on young alumni?
• Leverage your resources.
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3. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Who is WPI?
• Third oldest tech university in the nation
• Approximately 6,000 students
• 50 degree programs
• “Theory and Practice”
• Outcome rankings are high and strong
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4. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Who are WPI Alumni?
•
36,505 alumni of record
• 20,996 solicitable alumni
• Overall alumni base has increased
by 41% in the last decade
• 7,110 GOLD alumni
• 6,763 solicitable GOLD alumni
• GOLD has increased by 11%
in the past 5 years
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NON-GOLD
GOLD

5. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Small Shop
• 50 team members in the Division of University
Advancement
• 11 team members in Alumni Relations & Annual
Giving
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Executive Director
Alumni Relations
& Annual Giving
Admin. Assistant
Alumni Relations
Sr. Assoc. Director
Alumni Relations
Director
Annual Giving
Assist. Director
Alumni Relations
Assoc. Director
Annual Giving
Assist. Director
Annual Giving
Assist. Director
Annual Giving
Admin. Assistant
Annual Giving
Assoc. Director
Alumni Relations
Assoc. Director
Annual Giving

6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Small Shop
• A focus on lifetime engagement
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7. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
GOLD Giving Trends at WPI
• Increase in donors and dollars
• Average gift size has decreased and is smaller
than the rest of the alumni
• GOLD participation rate has increased while the
GOLD population has increased
• GOLD likes challenges
• Most successful giving channel: WPI Student
Calling Center
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8. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Challenges in Increasing GOLD
Giving
• Millennial behaviors/attitudes about philanthropy
• Perception of the cost of educating a student vs.
the actual per student cost
• Student loan debt
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9. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Strategies to Increase GOLD
Annual Fund Giving at WPI
• Strategic segmentation
• Personal acknowledgement of contributions over
$100
• Donor recognition at events
• Staff member dedicated to GOLD annual fund
fundraising
─ Personal prospect track of young alumni (0-15 years)
─ Referral outreach from GOLD alumni for visits to other
GOLD alumni
• Social Media presence
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10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Cristina’s Facebook Profile
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11. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Strategies to Increase GOLD
Annual Fund Giving at WPI
• Senior gift and student philanthropy programs to
grow culture of philanthropy
• Creation of Young Alumni Development
Committee (0 to 15 years post-
graduation)
• Creation of targeted areas within
the Annual Fund
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12. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Engagement
• Support, then solicit
• Be sure your efforts resonate
with your constituents
• But make sure those efforts
support your goals
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13. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Engaging GOLD the WPI Way
• Stay in the loop
• Provide strong
content
• Go where
they are
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14. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Engaging GOLD the WPI Way
• Get them involved
─ Volunteers
• Provide value and access
─ Events
─ Access and information
─ Alumni services
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15. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Engaging GOLD the WPI Way
• Start them early
─ Alumni-student engagement opportunities
─ Define a transition
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16. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
What’s Next at WPI?
• Expansion of student philanthropy programs and
volunteer programs
• GOLD giving societies
• Targeted, informative gift-related communications
• Increased collaboration with campus partners
• Additional GOLD programming
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17. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Questions? Thoughts?
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18. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Cristina Picozzi
Assistant Director, Annual Giving
cpicozzi@wpi.edu
Aubrey Valley
Senior Associate Director, Alumni Relations
avalley@wpi.edu
References
• Payscale.com
• The Princeton Review
• National Colleges and Employers Association
• WPI.edu
• http://cdn.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/AchieveMCON2013/Research%20Report/Millennial%20Impact%20Research.pdf
• http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/congatulations-to-class-of-2014-the-most-indebted-ever-1368/
• http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/05/18/number-of-the-week-class-of-2013-most-indebted-ever/
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