Athletics
Prior to the introduction of designated giving in 2012, each athletic team took it upon themselves to raise funds for equipment, training trips, and other activities not included in the team budget. This fundraising took different forms, from selling concessions and programs and home football games to direct solicitation of team-specific alumni.
Now, stewardship, information, and a soft team-specific solicitation are incorporated into the Alumni Fund through a series of communications during each season, featuring a note from the coach, the team schedule and results, and opportunities to follow the team on social media. For non-donors, it also includes a soft ask and a direct link to the giving form; for current Alumni Fund donors, regardless of the designation of their gift, it will thank them for their support.
Athletics solicitations are only sent to those athletes in the Classes of 1990 and younger, excepting the 25th reunion class. Any alum choosing to opt-out of athletics solicitations will continue to receive class-based Alumni Fund solicitations.
A seasonal newsletter is also sent to all alumni athletes and parents of current athletes, as well as to any alumni, parents, or friends who request to be added to the distribution list. ADD A SAMPLE.
For more information, please contact Sean McGrath.
Affinity
For a portion of Williams alumni, their closest ties to the college may be other-than-class, either through an athletics team, a student activity in which they participated, or with members of one of the Williams alumni networks: Williams Black Alumni Network (WBAN), Williams Asian American Alumni Netowrk (WAAAN), Williams Latino Alumni Network (WLAN), or the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Alumni Network (BiGLATA). The Alumni Fund office looks to work in partnership with our existing and emerging affinity groups, with a particular focus on promoting engagement with Williams and boosting participation in the fund.
For example, during the 2014-15 fund year, the WBAN and the Alumni Fund team successfully piloted an affinity-based fundraising initiative to boost participation by WBAN members. By working within the existing class agent structure but after the trophy deadline, together we raised participation by Black alumni by 10 percentage points over the previous fund year.
From 2016-2019, WBAN will be focused on a multi-year initiative to raise $500,000 for the Alumni Fund, to provide the underwriting for the Bolin Fellowships. Learn more about Teach It Forward: WBAN.
For more information on this and other affinity-based efforts, please contact Laura Day ’04, Director of Annual Giving, Janine Hetherington, Director of Alumni Fund Leadership Giving, or Sharifa Wright ’03, Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Director of Alumni Diversity and Inclusion.
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