Across higher education, more than 95% of every institution’s donors sit outside of managed portfolios, receiving only direct mail and mass marketing. This reality leads to increasing lapsed donors, weaker major gift pipelines, and a mounting challenge of earning attention annually.
San Diego State University and San José State University each recognized this challenge and saw an opportunity to transform engagement with donors beyond the major gift portfolio. By deploying Virtual Engagement Officers (VEOs)—AI-powered teammates trained in strategic moves management—these institutions have expanded one-to-one donor engagement at scale.
From cultivating leadership annual giving prospects to re-engaging lapsed donors, uncovering planned giving opportunities, and upgrading annual fund donors, these advancement teams are reimagining how to deepen relationships without adding staffing resources. In this session, you’ll hear firsthand how SDSU and San José State are measuring ROI, engaging new donor segments, and strengthening the donor pipeline through Autonomous Fundraising.