Using their decades of front-line leadership experience, our alumni engagement experts have helped more than 70 client universities, colleges, and independent schools since 2012 alone. At GG+A, we know that a high-performing alumni engagement program can make the difference between an average advancement operation and an exceptional one.
It comes down to four factors: Understanding industry best practices. Knowing what to measure and how to measure it. Applying the resulting insights to each unique situation. Aligning alumni engagement decisions with the overall advancement strategy.
In our work with alumni programs across enormously diverse institutions, we see similar challenges crop up again and again. Among them: Difficulty defining priorities and fitting them into a coherent strategic plan. Lack of data for measuring alumni engagement. Insufficient integration with other advancement functions. Unclear volunteer roles and responsibilities.
We can help. By establishing new business practices to identify, code, track, and report alumni engagement. By providing comparisons drawn from our benchmarking of more than 300 colleges and universities. By facilitating joint planning sessions with key advancement partners. Or by delivering a comprehensive roadmap to optimize your alumni program for both engagement and giving.
The client needed to revitalize their alumni engagement strategic planning process. After working with GG+A, the Case Alumni Association has jump-started its strategy planning process.
Strengthening and repositioning UCLA's Alumni Affairs program led the university to successfully launch its Centennial Campaign, enhancing alumni engagement and increasing annual giving participation rates.
GG+A offers the strongest combination of alumni relations experience, best-practices, and data analysis in the business. Services include:
Recommendations for an enhanced approach to engagement and a best-in-class model based on best practices at peer institutions, ultimately determining the right metrics for measuring success and cost-effectiveness.
A broad and deep dive into alumni and other constituency-specific programs. Rigorous analysis of staffing structure, programming elements, key partnerships, resource allocation, and engagement metrics. Provides a strategic road map for enhanced engagement efforts.
An in-depth analysis of a specific program area within a broader development program area, such as direct-mail marketing, social media strategy, alumni board and volunteers, or reporting. Provides targeted recommendations for improvements.
Provides valuable insight into the relationship between investment in staff and programs and long-term fundraising performance. Uncovers opportunities for new strategic investment or changes to existing resource allocations at the institutional or unit level through comparison with peer institutions in program areas such as alumni engagement, communications, annual fund, or overall advancement.
Facilitates collaborative working relationships between central advancement operations and other stakeholders and institutional partners. Identifies opportunities for optimizing institution-wide engagement efforts.
Includes an analysis of current engagement programs, planning discussions with institutional stakeholders, and identification of peer institutions who have experienced transformational results. Produces a three- to five-year strategic planning document providing recommendations for enhancing work already underway and methods for measuring success going forward.
Danita Nias, a GG+A client and Vice President for Institutional Advancement and CEO of the FAU Foundation at Florida Atlantic University began her advancement career as a chief alumni officer. Here, she articulates the essence of alumni relations.
GG+A’s alumni engagement consultants bring high energy and deep expertise to their work with universities, colleges, and independent schools. Here is a sampling:
