Annual Giving in Higher Education: Strategies That Actually Work

Authors: Shaff Fundraising Group

In today's climate, annual giving is doing more than keeping the lights on. It's feeding major gift pipelines, driving engagement, and providing flexible funds when universities and colleges need them most. But with budget cuts, staff vacancies, and donor fatigue at an all-time high, how do advancement leaders make annual giving work?

Let’s be honest: sending one-size-fits-all emails and hoping for a wave of alumni, parent, and student gifts doesn’t happen anymore. Annual giving must evolve—strategically, empathetically, and creatively.

Here are the strategies that are working.

Rethink the Role of Annual Giving

Too often, the annual fund is seen as a volume game: as many donors and dollars as fast as possible. But advancement shops that succeed are reframing it as a long-game.

Annual giving is not just about revenue. It’s a vehicle for:

• Alumni engagement

• Donor pipeline development

• Relationship reactivation

Instead of generic asks for "unrestricted support," programs craft appeals that tie directly to student experiences, scholarship impact, and program-specific stories.

You’re not asking for $100—you’re asking them to be part of something.

Segment Like It Matters (Because It Does)

If you're emailing a 65-year-old emeritus professor and a 23-year-old first-time donor the same content, you're wasting your time (and theirs).

Start by segmenting your list by:

• Affinity (clubs, majors, athletics)

• Capacity (wealth screening, gift history)

• Recency (LYBUNTs, SYBUNTs)

• Engagement (event attendance, volunteerism)

• Region (zip codes, cities, countries, etc.)

• Type of previous engagement (web, social, text, in-person, phone, etc.)

Each segment deserves its own message, tone, and ask. A recent alum or even a current student might respond better to impact-driven storytelling on social media. At the same time, a longtime donor might prefer a letter and a follow-up call from a student.

It’s not just about who they are—it’s about how they want to give.

Don’t Underestimate Channel Diversity

The days of a single spring mailer are gone. Modern annual giving programs meet donors where they are:

• Direct mail with handwritten notes

• Personalized email journeys

• Text messages with links to giving pages or broader engagement activities 

• QR codes on event signage

• Alumni ambassadors sending peer-to-peer nudges

• Social media, organic and paid 

Think in terms of sequences, not standalone asks. A donor might need 3–5 touchpoints before converting. And consistency builds trust, especially if the tone and branding are cohesive across channels.

Annual Fund Best Practices That Hold Up

Let’s cut through the noise. These principles still work because they’re rooted in human behavior:

• Tell a story. Instead of "Support the annual fund," say "Help a first-gen student pursue their dream of being a [nurse/teacher/etc.]," or “Open the door for a student to thrive on campus.” 

• Create urgency. Matches, deadlines, and specific goals increase conversion.

• Make it easy. Mobile-first donation forms, Apple Pay, and short forms matter.

• Recognize immediately. A sincere thank-you email or text within 5 minutes beats a fancy postcard two weeks later.

• Personalize your ask: Taking the time to put together personalized ask arrays for your donor population, considering more than just past giving patterns, always outperforms a generic percentage increase applied to a broad group like “LYBUNTs”. 

And remember: showing results from last year’s fund makes this year’s ask more compelling.

Increase Alumni Giving by Building Connection, Not Just Asking

The #1 reason alumni don't give? They don't feel connected.

To fix that:

• Offer opportunities to mentor students

• Send short video updates from faculty or students

• Highlight alumni achievements in your solicitations

• Celebrate giving anniversaries ("10 years of supporting the arts!")

Think of every touchpoint as a chance to build loyalty, not just solicit. When people feel seen, they respond.

Stewardship Is the Strategy

Want to boost your next annual campaign? Start by stewarding last year’s donors better.

Send two or three non-ask communications:

• A mid-year "Here's what your gift made possible" email

• A thank-you call from a student

• An infographic showing program outcomes

Stewardship is the quiet engine behind donor retention. Do it well, and this year’s campaign gets easier.

Final Thoughts

Annual giving isn’t dead. It’s evolving.

The most successful programs aren’t the loudest—they’re the most intentional. By rethinking segmentation, diversifying channels, and making your appeals more human, you’ll not only increase annual fund participation but build a base of donors who keep showing up.

Want help revamping your annual giving strategy?

Download our free Annual Giving Checklist for Higher Ed or Schedule a Strategy Call with the Shaff Fundraising Group team.

---

Interested in participating in an upcoming SFG blog? Let us know!

Shaff Fundraising Group is a consulting firm specializing in fundraising, marketing, and analytics. We take pride in our independent approach, free from technology affiliations with SaaS and other companies. This allows us to provide objective, solutions-oriented support to our client partners and the broader fundraising and engagement community.