Best Alumni Fundraising Ideas

When it comes to finding major donors for your university, there may be no better group to fundraise to than alumni. Plenty of former students are willing to donate to their alma mater… if you know how to fundraise correctly!

Top 6 Fundraising Campaigns for Alumni Engagement

Raise money for your sorority/fraternity, club, organization, or higher education institution with these university fundraiser ideas.

1. Outreach Emails and Direct Mail

One of the easiest ways to collect alumni donations is through direct mail. All this method of fundraising requires is a little contact information from potential alumni donors and, if using physical mail, small amounts of money set aside for printing the solicitation letters and postage.

Most universities keep records of former students, so keeping up with alumni should be easy. If for some reason your university has some spots in their records, try contacting relevant alumni associations to get the information you need to kickstart your fundraising efforts.

2. Alumni Events

Alumni events are great ways to keep alumni networks thriving. Hosting these events is appealing to former students who want to connect with fellow alumni while giving back to a good cause—your university! The best engagement strategy here is to host an in-person event at either your university or a metropolitan area with a high alumni count. You can use university emails, forwarding addresses, and social media to easily (and affordably) promote these events.

3. Brick Fundraiser

A brick fundraiser can be a successful fundraising event that reaches both past students and current students alike. It’s simple: donors sponsor a brick, which we laser-engrave with quotes, clipart, and other text of the donor’s choice. Your university or organization can then display these lasting mementos of generosity in a prominent location like the university square or the sorority drive. It’s a fundraising strategy that lasts a lifetime!

4. T-Shirt Sales

An easy way to boost alumni relations while meeting your fundraising goals is to sell t-shirts emblazoned with your university or organization’s logo. To really enhance your fundraising initiatives, you can sell these t-shirts at homecoming games, in the university shop, or at alumni events.

5. Silent Auction

Another easy way to engage alumni (and the broader collegiate community) is by hosting a silent auction. You can request donations from anyone and everyone: alumni, current students, staff, and local businesses. All you need to do is provide the time and place for the event, and the donations will roll in. It’s a fun way to boost your university’s annual funds.

6. Online Donations

Accepting online donations is perhaps the easiest method of gathering donations. Simply use the right donation management software to securely handle transactions, create a donation portal on your website, and voilà—you have a year-round source of crowdfunding!

Not sure how to get started with online donations? Not a problem. If you partner with Fundraising Brick, we’ll help you not just organize your brick fundraiser, but also help you set up an online donation website to streamline the online donation process.