The document provides advice on where advancement services at universities can invest resources and save money during tight economic times. It suggests investing in matching gift programs, outsourcing matching gift management if needed, prospect screening to focus fundraising, and hiring student workers. It also recommends saving money by reducing manual data entry, taking a hard look at stewardship expenses like moving to e-cards and gifts every other year, and potentially forego soliciting never donors for a year to cut costs. The document ends by asking readers to share their own ideas and struggles.

1. Beating the Odds:
Advancement Services as a
vital resource to tap in tight
economic times

2. Carolyn Hoyt
Senior Director of Annual Giving &
Advancement Services
Willamette University
Salem, OR

3. Where to Invest
Matching Gift Resources.
Although more companies have
disinvested in matching gifts, it is still free
money.
If you don’t have the staff to manage the
process, consider outsourcing firms.

4. Where to Invest
Instead of serving the campus customers,
take proactive steps in this arena to seek
out what might be most helpful to make
them more productive.
For example: team with Finance to build
joint reports that get at specific struggling
areas or needs for targeted fundraising
efforts.

5. Where to Invest
Consider investing in a prospect
screening for all your constituents.
Go with a lower level zip+4 scoring that
can focus fundraisers’ efforts.

6. Where to Save Money
Reduce manual data entry whenever
possible.
If you make this change, take the time to
craft and build good error reports so you
can manage the data integrity issue.

7. Where to Save Money
Hire student workers to maintain
productivity levels:
data entry
filing
scanning
answering phones
scheduling appointments
Students need jobs now more than ever,
so be selective and take time to train well.

8. Where to Save Money
Take a hard look at stewardship expenses.
Replace printed and signed holiday cards with
e-cards.
Move high-level donor thank you gifts to every
other year.
Replace with additional informational e-mail
updates.
Remember, there are costs involved with “going
electronic”.

9. Where to Save Money
Is your institution willing to forego pushing
hard for donor acquisition?
If so, take a year off from soliciting never
donors and save on mailing and phone
costs.

10. Discussion
What are your ideas?
What are your struggles?

11. Thank you.
Carolyn Hoyt
choyt@willamette.edu
503-370-6541