U V U A D V A N C E M E N T
Strategic engagement fuels fundraising
UVU's strategic donor identification
Utah Valley University (UVU) is seeing success using social intelligence insights to evolve their brand strategy and strengthen their brand health. We expanded our work with the team to support their institutional advancement strategy and meet annual fundraising goals.
Partnership goals
The Advancement team needed to increase strategic engagement with prospective donors and champions, and expand storytelling opportunities.
UVU knew they were missing opportunities to engage with high-profile donors. Social intelligence insights would increase their ability to conduct strategic outreach to their most engaged donors online.
Partnership outcomes
- Identify engagement opportunities with potential donors and influencers.
- Understand what champions and potential donors say about UVU.
- Identify readiness of stakeholders for engagement from the UVU team, ensuring more productive relationship building.
- Highlight brand trends and actionable opportunities specifically related to campaigns, donors, and alumni.
“Campus Sonar has been a vital partner to UVU as we embark on our first comprehensive fundraising campaign. Kelsey and her team are true professionals in higher education who are most importantly our trusted partners. Thank you to Campus Sonar for your strategic input, guidance, and support.”
— Christie Denniston, Associate Vice President of Strategic Engagement
Elevating the value of UVU
During the first six months of the analysis, we identified almost 40 stories involving alumni who shared the value of UVU or champions with direct and indirect connections to campus.
The team leveraged these stories to amplify campus areas of strength, targeted programs, and research initiatives.
To support an expanded strategy, the advancement team shared the stories across campus in an effort to break down silos and connect staff with opportunities to shape and leverage how UVU is perceived. They’re using the informed insights to drive more targeted communications and support key engagements with individuals, sponsors, industry partners, and alumni.
Why it's working
The fundraising team is successfully identifying champions with direct and indirect campus connections to support an expanded influencer strategy—and our insights helped them identify a donor who received a multi-million dollar gift proposal six months after adding social intelligence to their campaign efforts.
Custom insights to meet UVU's needs
The partnership team needed timely updates to most effectively leverage the engagement opportunities. We developed a “quick hits” delivery method to ensure the team received insights in a timely, actionable way. The delivery supports efficient responses to real-time opportunities to praise graduates of specific programs, celebrate the professional talent of alumni, admire university leadership and faculty, or promote special events.
Offer a broader view of UVU's impact
Ongoing analysis reveals the broad impact of UVU and varied ways the campus is recognized as an outstanding university. Stories highlighted alumni success, campus areas of strength, leaders and influencers celebrating UVU’s value, and research initiatives. The analysis also revealed how parents and family members of students and alumni reflect on ways UVU benefited their families, with mentions highlighting the diversity of potential influencers, and providing opportunities for strategic engagement and relationship-building. In sharing a comprehensive story of how UVU is transforming Utah higher education, donors are called to be part of the momentum.