Creating and Executing a Successful Class Agent

Program

Lori Winemanwineman@oxy.edu

Associate Director of Annual Giving

Occidental College

AGPN, Pomona College, March 24, 2011

The new way to stay connected Building relationships Ask volunteers to do more Preparing for capital campaign

◦ Peer to peer solicitation is critical Maximizing impact of each reunion year

◦ 2x fundraising◦ 1/3 of alumni fund is from reunion years

WHY a Class Agent Program?

Ranked #8 in U.S. News and World Report, Top Liberal Arts Colleges

2010: Alumni Fund $6.6 million with 53% participation

Reunion increased from 1,500 to 2,500 attendees in 10 years, and increased reunion giving from $1.1 million to more than $2.2 million

Carleton College: A Case Study

Occidental College◦ Program launched in August 2010◦ Over 90 Class Agents from 1951+◦ 4 staff management

Occidental College Program

Before:◦ Small volunteer committees (5-15 / committee)

not comparable with each other◦ Inefficient training and oversight◦ Less significant role for the individual

After:◦ One Class Agent program shares resources◦ Competition among class years (more

comparable)◦ Common training and administration◦ More significant involvement (“leader of college”)

Before and After

Staying Connected: The Old Way

Staying Connected: The New Way

Annual Giving Staff

Lead Agent

Lead Agent

Class Agent

Alumni

Alumni

Alumni

Class Agent

Alumni

Alumni

Alumni

Lead Agent

Building Relationships

Example: 1 staff works with 10 Lead agents and 40 Class Agents, that reach out to

3,000 alumni

How do you get MORE out of your Volunteers?

1. Give Class Agents ownership◦ Let them set their own goals

2. Give them the tools3. Set clear expectations

◦ Choose dependable volunteers ◦ Clearly define their role

4. Give more to them: they give more back◦ Build a relationship so they WANT to give

more

Get MORE out of your Volunteers

Engage, Educate, Update, Ask o Serve as informed leaders of the institution and engage/re-engage

classmates Create class goal and strategy

◦ Commit to goal in front of entire program (Oxy) Write their own solicitation letters

◦ Make them personal! ◦ Ask for targeted gift amounts including leadership level

Write personal emails, make phone calls, and send facebook messages to cultivate gifts from classmates.

Recruit other Class Agents and successors

Class Agent Roles:

Oversee Annual Solicitations signed by Class Agents ◦ Fall: letter◦ Calendar Year End/January lead◦ Fiscal Year End

Build relationships with Class Agents Offer basic training Provide updated gift information & tools Show them the big picture Keep Class Agents motivated and energized.

Staff Roles:

Online portal:◦ Updated gift information for each Class Agent◦ Custom built by our IT Team

Training materials ◦ Handbook, binder, expectations and guidelines

Institutional updates◦ Emails of what’s happening on campus◦ Talking points◦ Event calendars

Important Tools

Seeking:◦ Leaders on campus◦ Consistent donors◦ Passionate◦ Dependable◦ Comfortable fundraising

How to get first 50 Class Agents in 4 weeks:◦ Library research + Office of Student Life (6)◦ Personal contact (10 – 1 per class)

Lunch meetings or phone call◦ Peer to peer recruiting (50)

How to Find the Best Volunteers

Cultivation◦ Lunch meetings and welcome gifts

Make it FUN!◦ Overnight summer retreat + workshops◦ Happy hours paid by staff

Stewardship ◦ Gifts

Ex: Box of dining hall “famous” cookies, tiger hats, school pride ties

◦ Volunteer recognition dinner

Cultivation and Retention

Oxy “Tiger Trainings”◦ 6-hour workshop with all Class Agents◦ Social proof: peer influence◦ Overview of agenda

Training and Education

Most successful events are volunteer driven Increase involvement with the campus and

alumni community Regional and local volunteer coordination Agents work closely with Alumni Relations

planning committee

Events

2x fundraising in a reunion year from average donor.

Capitalizing on Major gifts ($50K+) in reunion year Before Class Agent Program:

◦ Reunion Gift Committee◦ Volunteers freshly trained & inexperienced◦ After reunion year, no longer volunteers

After:◦ Class Agents represent every class year (1945+)◦ Volunteer retention and growth ◦ Leads to: well trained agents maximizing fundraising

during their reunion year

Reunion Year Impact

Capital Campaign

Bring Class Agent program to the next level

Involve as many volunteers as possible Committed, talented volunteers available

to serve as leaders are essential Class Agents identify, cultivate, and solicit

major gifts peer to peer. Increase Annual Fund dollars and capital

gifts.

Class Agents: ◦ More than 2x gifts◦ Regular giving to leadership giving◦ Lifetime donors

Alumni fund:◦ Increased participation and $$

School events & reunions:◦ Exponential rise in attendance

Measurable Results

1. Identify what your institution needs2. Present to volunteers and board a plan for

new Class Agent Program3. Create a FUN, interesting program

overview document for alumni (main recruiting tool)

4. Set common goals5. Build online tools & training materials6. Plan first training workshop

How to Start

Questions?

Lori WinemanOccidental Collegewineman@oxy.edu