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William & Mary Raises $114K and Closes Coverage Gaps with Autonomous Fundraising
"Our Virtual Engagement Officer enhances the work we need to do. We focused on annual giving prospects who wouldn't normally bubble up to a gift officer, but we knew with the right connection, they could grow into one."
— Meghan Palombo, Associate Vice President, Annual Giving & Philanthropic Engagement
More Donors Than Staff Can Reach
William & Mary University faced a familiar capacity challenge that advancement teams nationwide struggle with: more donors in the pipeline than gift officers can personally cultivate. Annual giving prospects with real potential—alumni whose giving history and engagement signals suggest they could grow into major gift donors—routinely go unmanaged simply because the bandwidth doesn't exist to reach them.
The Challenge
William & Mary needed a solution that could deliver consistent, personalized outreach at scale, grow the annual giving pipeline, re-engage lapsed donors, and increase giving from loyal Giving Day donors.
The Solution
William & Mary deployed Wren, their Virtual Engagement Officer, to manage a portfolio of donors who sat at the intersection of the annual giving and gift officer pipeline. The team structured Wren's portfolio of 1,000 donors into three tiers: donors with giving under $14K, class year 1973-2003, and targeted regions.
The Results
Wren has helped raise over $114,000, including 480 renewals. Nearly 13,000 personalized outreach messages have been sent via email and text, and of those actively engaging in two-way conversations with Wren, 50% have made a gift.
Impact By The Numbers
$114,599
Raised from VEO Wren
682
Gifts secured
12,995
Personalized touchpoints
Closing Coverage Gaps
When a digital gift officer went on leave, rather than letting an active portfolio (~450 prospects) sit dormant, the team transitioned them to Wren. The handoff was warm, with the outgoing gift officer making an introduction to Wren, and only two donors opted out. Wren ensured continuity of relationships at a moment when many shops would have accepted a gap as inevitable.
Sustained Engagement at Scale
One of the biggest takeaways is the impact Wren has on donor behavior. When the digital gift officer on leave returned and their portfolio was being re-transitioned back, some donors chose to stay with Wren—a testament to the genuine connections built and the different ways alumni want to engage with their alma mater.
​The results have prompted William & Mary's prospect development team to look at more ways to expand the digital team, including stagnant major gift portfolios and hard-to-reach segments like parents, volunteers, and event attendees.
