Alumni participation rates continue to decline for most institutions, and many advancement offices are increasingly reliant on a shrinking—and aging—pool of donors. In this environment, forward-looking advancement offices are constructing the foundation of a sustainable strategy: identifying the next generation of significant donors while holding the line on, or even increasing, participation. The foundation of the strategy is built on data that facilitate targeting the right alumni, with the right messaging, at the right time to boost giving rates.
To better understand alumni giving trends and donor motivations, Hanover Research conducted the 2020 National Advancement Survey in early 2020 to examine the thoughts, preferences, and behaviors of donors and non-donors alike. Since this baseline was measured before COVID-19’s unprecedented impact, a supplementary study was conducted in May 2020 to capture potential changes in donor motivations.
