Voluntary Alumni Engagement in Support of Education (VAESE) recently released The Alumni Relations Benchmarking Study, a treasure trove of insightful statistics and findings. Here are some key takeaways from the study:

1. Staffing and Budget Challenges:

• While the average number of full-time employees (FTEs) in alumni relations has increased slightly since 2016, many institutions report feeling understaffed.

• Real budgets have decreased when adjusted for inflation, with general budgets effectively decreasing by 16% from 2016 to 2024.

• Staffing constraints are identified as a major roadblock to increasing alumni engagement.

💡 To tackle staffing and budget challenges, consider leveraging automation and strategic volunteer programs to supplement your team. Implementing a robust tool with automation capabilities can streamline routine tasks, freeing up staff for high-impact activities.

2. Engagement Strategies and Challenges:

• The primary goal for most institutions (65%) is increasing the number of alumni who engage.

• However, the lack of compelling, relevant value for alumni is cited as the biggest roadblock to increasing engagement (22%).

• Post-COVID-19, institutions have focused more on digital communication (73%) and personalized engagement (57%), but only 16% have added new, compelling benefits to attract alumni.

💡 Relevance is key; alumni engage more when they see clear, personal value. Develop unique, personalized benefits and programs that resonate with their current interests.
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Use AI and automation tools to segment alumni based on factors like graduation year, field of study, behavior, intent signals, and past involvement to create targeted campaigns.
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Tailoring messages based on alumni interests and interactions can make outreach efforts more meaningful and effective.

3. A shift in Membership Models:

• There's a significant trend away from dues-paying membership models, with 80% of institutions now using non-dues-paying models in 2024, up from 69% in 2016.

• The number of active dues-paying members has declined dramatically, decreasing 98% since 2016.

💡 Create a non-dues membership model that offers exclusive access to events, content, and networking opportunities.

4. Communication and Solicitation Trends:

• Email engagement metrics show challenges, with average open rates at 25.8% and click rates at 12.7%.

• The frequency of gift solicitations to new graduates has decreased from an average of 3.92 in 2016 to 2.90 in 2024.

💡 Let’s face it, we get flooded with hundreds of emails every day. So, how can you make your email stand out?
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Segment your email lists and send personalized, relevant messages with crisp, actionable content.

Use compelling subject lines to grab attention, ensure your emails are mobile-friendly, and include clear calls to action. Additionally, track engagement metrics to continuously refine and improve your email strategy.

5. Adoption of New Technologies:

• 40% of respondents occasionally use AI in their work, while 23% are interested in learning more about it.

• However, there's a notable resistance to AI adoption among some professionals.

💡 AI is no longer a buzzword; it has become an essential part of our work lives. While some may be skeptical, it is an incredibly valuable resource, especially for teams constrained by resources. AI can act as your sidekick for everyday tasks, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. For instance, you could use it for donor prospecting, personalized communication, predictive analytics, automated reporting, etc.

Need help with prompts? Check this out.

6. Professional Stress Factors:

• The highest level of concern among alumni relations professionals is not having enough staff to complete necessary tasks.

• Budget cuts and lack of alumni engagement are also significant stressors.

💡  Alleviate professional stress by prioritizing high-impact activities and leveraging project management software to better organize and delegate tasks.

7. Value Proposition and Benefits:

• There's a critical need for institutions to improve their value proposition to alumni, as many report investing little to nothing in alumni benefits.

• Only 9% of institutions invest significantly in benefits and services to motivate alumni engagement.

💡 Conduct surveys to understand alumni needs and invest in benefits that provide real value, such as career services, mentorship, networking opportunities, exclusive events, and lifelong learning opportunities. Understand which life stage they’re at and build initiatives around it.
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Here are 12 alumni-centric ideas to inspire you.

These are some of our handpicked insights from the study. We highly recommend that you check it out for yourself as it provides a huge variety of interesting insights that you can use in your advancement strategizing process.

The Voluntary Alumni Engagement in Support of Education (VAESE) survey is an annual study assessing alumni engagement practices and trends across educational institutions. Conducted by a coalition of alumni relations and advancement professionals, it provides insights on communication, event participation, volunteerism, and giving. VAESE helps institutions enhance alumni outreach and support programs, and their studies are available for free.

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