AI-Driven Micro-Volunteering: Boosting Alumni & Donor Engagement at Scale

2:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Advancement leaders are grappling with a growing “activity crisis.” Alumni and donor networks are larger than ever, yet traditional engagement methods often fail to provide meaningful opportunities for connection, leaving many feeling overlooked or disengaged. This lack of activity doesn’t just impact participation—it erodes the human bonds that foster lifelong loyalty and support.

AI-driven micro-volunteering is redefining what’s possible by creating personalized, impactful moments of connection at scale. Whether it’s an alumnus mentoring a student, answering a question from a prospective family, or providing industry insights to a peer, these interactions spark genuine human connections that strengthen relationships and build community. Importantly, this approach requires no new apps or platforms for alumni or donors to adopt—making engagement seamless, accessible, and authentic.

In this session, The Ohio State University will share how they’ve harnessed AI to scale these meaningful connections across a broad and diverse network. Designed for senior advancement leaders, this session will explore how AI not only removes barriers to engagement but also amplifies the relational heart of advancement work. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into their engagement strategies, cultivating vibrant alumni and donor communities that are truly connected to their institution’s mission.

Speakers: Josh Harraman and Max Leisten

Leveraging AI & Technology Integration - Chapter 1 of the Journey

2:30 PM to 3:00 PM

In this session, Rita L. Walters and Jeanette Hanlein will share the journey of evaluating new technology that is better integrated with our CRM to enhance efficiency, improve the experience for our constituents, improve the level of data we have on our constituents and enhance donor discovery and qualification efforts. This in-depth session will also cover how Montclair State integrated new technologies to engage our alumni and donors that are fully integrated with our CRM, Raiser’s Edge—including Gravyty for video outreach and Almabase for email communications, and seamless event registration. These packages are helping us to engage our constituents at a new level and track that interaction in real time back to the CRM and prepare us for the next chapter of fundraising. They will also discuss how the team evaluated three leading platforms for software that uses AI to build personalized, multi-channel cadences and engage our donors and prospects in new ways.

Speakers: Jeanette Hanlein and Rita L. Walters