The Blueprint for Athletics & Advancement Partnership-Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This webinar, hosted by experts from Gravity and CASE, addresses enhancing collaboration between college athletics and advancement (fundraising) departments, which often operate in silos despite engaging many of the same donors. The speakers—Alexa Schwartz, Candice Stumbach, and Chris Smith—highlight the challenges and evolving landscape in collegiate athletics, including new NIL (name, image, likeness) regulations, shifting donor motivations, and resource constraints on both sides. Key issues include donor fatigue from uncoordinated asks, lack of shared data, and trust barriers between coaches and advancement teams.<br /><br />They emphasize the necessity of a shared vision and leadership to unify athletics and advancement efforts, advocate for integrated technology systems enabling data sharing and joint campaign management, and promote consistent communication to provide donors with a cohesive experience. The conversation urges institutions to engage unique affinities such as alumni athletes, leveraging their strong bonds to boost giving and community engagement. Stewardship strategies like personalized thank-you videos featuring coaches or athletes are showcased as effective tools.<br /><br />A phased approach—assessing current overlaps, aligning goals, then acting through pilot projects and ongoing collaboration—is recommended. The speakers also discuss overcoming resistance from competitive coaches or concerns about donor control by highlighting mutual benefits and focusing on outcomes. Additional topics covered include engagement of former athletes, leveraging Hall of Fame committees to preserve institutional history, and the potential for coordinated events. The session closes by encouraging attendees to initiate conversations bridging these departments, with offers for resources and case studies, underlining that strategic alignment can significantly enhance fundraising outcomes and donor experiences across campus.

Keywords

college athletics collaboration

advancement fundraising

donor fatigue

NIL regulations

shared data systems

leadership unification

alumni athlete engagement

personalized stewardship

pilot collaboration projects

strategic fundraising alignment