Thanks to the right tools and a thoughtful approach, DePauw University was
able to pivot quickly at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic—and the results
they’ve seen to date are transformative. Having implemented Blackbaud
Guided Fundraising™ in 2019, DePauw’s advancement team saw a unique
opportunity to empower its 27 student fundraisers to work remotely.

Using the cloud fundraising software’s powerful performance monitoring
tools, Coordinator of Annual Giving for Campus Programs Amanda Nelson
was confident she could coach the team virtually. “More than half the student
fundraisers accepted the opportunity to continue working, and all they
needed was a headset to pick up where they left off,” Nelson explained

Shifting from Solicitation to Relationship Building

Acclimating to a high-performing remote work environment wasn’t the
team’s only successful transition. Prior to the pandemic, Blackbaud Guided
Fundraising had enabled a significant improvement in DePauw’s phonathon efficiency—with calls up 154% year over year. This allowed DePauw to shift its
efforts from solicitation to relationship building and stewardship, leading with
sensitivity in light of the current environment.

The shift in strategy garnered a phenomenal response from DePauw alumni.
They were reminded that a phone call from their alma mater is not always tied
to a gift request, and they were proud to see that student fundraisers were
able to continue working remotely. A new sense of camaraderie formed among
the student fundraisers and alumni.

“Because of how efficient Blackbaud Guided Fundraising has made our team,
we’ve had the unique opportunity to pause solicitation calls and focus solely
on checking in on alumni and nurturing those personal connections,” Nelson
said. “We want our alumni to realize that DePauw is not always calling to ask for
money but because we care about them as a part of the institution.”

DePauw’s decision to continue outreach and shift their approach has proven
effective, given the results so far. The team has already experienced a 14%
decrease in voicemail rates, which is an indicator that student callers have been
able to connect with more constituents. They have also seen a 2.6% increase in
text message response rates.

Empowering Student Fundraisers

Perhaps DePauw’s most significant outcome is the new-found confidence
its student fundraisers have gained. Blackbaud Guided Fundraising has
enabled them to be more self-sufficient and build stronger relationships with
constituents by focusing on cultivation.

With the right technology in place, DePauw will be able to engage donors
at their level, interests, and demographics, keeping this positive momentum
well into the future. “With multi-channel, person-to-person fundraising
techniques, our student fundraisers can continue strengthening DePauw’s
relationships with alumni and stewardship efforts,” Nelson added.