Could your alumni think your institution is “worthy but not needy”? This isn’t an uncommon challenge for educational institutions today. Especially those with relatively large endowments and high sticker prices.

Education finance is complex and, for most, not easy to understand. If we don’t make a point of explaining it in terms that our alumni can grasp, it can make the idea of donating money to our annual funds hard for them to swallow.

Make your case for support snackable.

Stanford University, which raises nearly $1 billion annually, lists “Seven Reasons To Support Stanford” on their Annual Fund’s website. Here’s how they explain to their alumni why Stanford needs money:

1. Tuition covers only about two-thirds of the real cost of undergraduate education.
2. More than half of all Stanford undergrads depend on need-based scholarships from the university.
3. Stanford’s endowment covers only about 23% of the university’s budget.
4. Most gifts are restricted. Annual, expendable gifts provide vital flexibility.
5. Federal support for university research is significant, but it’s been declining for years in real dollars.
6. Stanford’s mission is global. Big ideas can be expensive. Making a difference is worth it.
7. Every gift makes a difference! Most gifts made to Stanford are under $1,000. But together they add up to millions for financial aid, academics, research, and other programs.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting kind of hungry.

Want to learn more? CLICK HERE for AGN’s Webinar on Demonstrating ROI in Annual Giving.