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San Diego State University Triples Team Capacity and Raises $715K in the Process
"I think digital labor is just unbelievable. Our Virtual Engagement Officers are reaching segments we never thought we could get to, and they’re doing it in a way that is actually moving donors through the pipeline."
— Amy Walling, Planned Gifts & Estates, Annual Gifts/Digital Marketing, Research
More Donors Than Staff Can Reach
San Diego State University faced a familiar capacity challenge that advancement teams nationwide struggle with: more donors in the pipeline than gift officers can personally cultivate. Relying on one-directional marketing wasn’t enough to cultivate impactful engagement that translated into sustained revenue.
The Challenge
With 500,000 alumni and just 30 development officers, San Diego State University only managed reaches 1% of its constituents. From an annual giving perspective, the team knew that with more constituents in moves management, more qualified and credible donors could move up the pipeline. They also knew that they couldn’t reach the planned giving prospects who could bring in major revenue.
The Solution
SDSU deployed two Virtual Engagement Officers to close this gap. Sandy—the world’s first planned giving VEO— educates prospects on legacy giving opportunities, building long-term relationships with donors who show signs of making a planned gift. Sandi focuses on annual giving cultivation for three strategic segments: Courage Through Cancer Fund, Athletics, and SDSU’s parent program.
The Results
Sandy and Sandi have collectively raised over $715,000 for SDSU, which includes more than $127K in upgraded giving and $28K from lapsed recaptures. Nearly 27,000 personalized outreach messages have been sent via email and text.
Impact By The Numbers
$715,684
$17.6K
Raised to date
In upgraded giving
$28.5K
Lapsed Recaptures
12,995
Personalized touchpoints
More Reach, Increased Revenue, and Stronger Connections
Adding autonomous fundraisers to their team has allowed SDSU to double the volume of managed donors, building stronger connections with donors they couldn’t reach before. One of the biggest takeaways for their team is the impact its Virtual Engagement Officers have on donor behavior. They’ve learned that many donors who may not respond to traditional outreach, or aren’t ready for that coffee conversation yet, will engage with a VEO, building a stronger bridge to a human gift officer relationship.
