University Receives CASE Grand Gold Award for Fundraising Program

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VII has awarded the University of La Verne a CASE Grand Gold Award for its “Count Me In Challenge,” which resulted in a 45 percent increase in alumni donor participation.

The award adds to the success already achieved through the program, with the University exceeding its goal by more than double in the first year of the challenge alone.

“We are honored to be recognized by our peers for the hard work of the Office of Annual Giving and the generosity of our University of La Verne alumni,” said Vice President of University Advancement Myra Garcia. “The biggest winners in this exciting program are the students who will benefit from these donations through scholarships, enabling them to achieve their dreams through successful careers.”

The University launched the Count Me In Challenge in 2014 after an anonymous donor pledged $500,000 over three years to encourage more alumni support.

According to a summary of the challenge, 1,913 returning donors had to be joined by at least 360 new donors to receive $100,000 in the first year, with the number of donors increasing in the second and third years to receive the remainder of the $500,000 pledge.

The University’s Annual Giving department conducted outreach using compelling motivational language through crowdfunding, a phonathon, promotional events involving the institution’s mascots, Leo and Lea, and direct mail and social media, among other methods.

“Not only did the Annual Giving Department surpass the new alumni donor goal of 360, they exceeded the goal with a total of 782 new alumni donors, increasing our alumni participation rate by 45 percent in the 2015 fiscal year,” the University wrote in its summary to CASE.