Alumni Professionals Need to be Entrepreneurial at Inflection Points
Article by Paul Clifford, Vice President and Senior Consultant at CMAC
Recently, I had the opportunity to present to colleagues from schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference about current state revenue generation strategies for alumni engagement programs. As we face a decline in traditional revenue streams and increasing competition for funding, we find our industry at an inflection point and must think beyond the structures we’ve relied on for decades.
The future of alumni engagement requires a bold shift, from funding our associations to creating engaging and sustainable models that meet alumni where they are.
Historically, universities have outsourced the funding of their alumni engagement operations. This environment forced alumni leaders to become among the most entrepreneurial professionals in higher education. Alumni organizations have had to hustle to develop external revenue streams: dues, sponsorships, and affinity partnerships with modest institutional subsidies. But as these models face growing challenges and the robust revenue streams from credit card and insurance contracts dry up, we must think differently. Our path forward should no longer be about chasing revenue; rather it should be grounded in fostering relationships that generate sustainable revenue.
Inspiration from Other Industries
When I am looking for inspiration, I often look outside of higher education for ideas. Some of the most successful consumer brands have built business models that directly tie engagement to revenue. The more customer loyalty they drive, the more revenue they generate. What if we applied these concepts to alumni relations?
Loyalty Programs Brands like Starbucks, Marriott, and United Airlines don’t just reward participation; they incentivize it. Can our membership programs evolve and begin to look and feel more like the loyalty programs that we have become addicted to? (Note: I took a break here to go to Starbucks and collect more stars) What if we gamified alumni engagement?
- Points-based systems that unlock exclusive benefits
- Incentives that drive outcome behaviors tied to volunteerism, philanthropy, event participation, mentoring etc.
- Cause-based rewards that align with alumni values; rewards tied to what alumni love most about your institution like athletics, their academic department, a student activity they were involved in, etc.
Subscription Models Companies like BarkBox, Stitch Fix, and HelloFresh create recurring value through personalization. What if alumni engagement was a subscription-based experience? Is this a natural evolution of alumni membership? Your NIL Collective seems to think so, as this has become their model of choice. NIL Collectives have only existed for three years and have had the opportunity to build a modern model to engage fans; can alumni programs make a similar shift to remain relevant in their own marketplace?
- Tiered memberships with differing levels of benefits based on your tier
- Exclusive networking and career opportunities
- On-demand access to premium content
Monetizing Content More alumni interact with our digital content than will ever attend in-person events. Can we move away from event driven models of engagement and shift our focus to content curation, production, and delivery as a chief engagement strategy? A truism of alumni engagement is that we must meet alumni where they are; your alumni are scrolling on their phones! If you aren’t producing Reels, Tik Toks, and Facebook Videos, then you aren’t where your alumni are. How do we transform that engagement into sustainable revenue?
- Virtual events and webinars could generate advertising revenue
- Podcasts and streaming content can be sponsored
- Digital collections and NFTs can be the commemorative “paver with your name on it” project of the future
Monetizing Expertise Our alumni already pay for professional development from sources like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera, so why not through their alma mater?
- Certifications and micro-courses
- Premium career services
- High-impact networking events
The Shift to an Alumni-Centric Model
This evolution isn’t about layering new ideas on top of outdated structures. It’s about rethinking how we engage alumni in ways that are relevant, valuable, and sustainable.
We are moving from Association-Centric, chasing revenue from banks and insurance companies with little to no engagement, to Alumni-Centric models that foster relationships and deliver value that generate revenue.
Instead of asking, "How do we fund our alumni association?" we should be asking, "What do our alumni need?"—and designing engagement models that deliver real value.
What This Shift Achieves
A successful alumni-centric model:
- Prioritizes alumni needs over organizational structures
- Generates revenue through meaningful engagement
- Creates clear, tangible value for alumni
- Personalizes experiences based on alumni interests
- Deepens emotional connections to the institution
- Aligns with CASE Engagement Metrics to measure success
Making It Happen
This transformation requires intentional change. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing things differently. I am suggesting a shift in business models. We must rethink our people, processes, and technology to ensure we have the talent, systems, and strategy to execute this vision. I'd welcome the opportunity to work with schools who want to ask the right questions through the frames of people, process, and technology. Please don't hesitate to reach out!
Closing Thought
The old ways of funding alumni engagement aren’t working like they used to. If we don’t adapt, we risk falling behind. Schools that evolve their approach will build more sustainable programs.
The next chapter of our story is ours to write. Let’s continue to innovate--together.
Paul Clifford is Vice President and Senior Consultant with CMAC, bringing nearly three decades of experience in alumni engagement--most recently leading the world's largest dues-paying alumni association. Email him at [email protected].
