The Future of Advancement Services: AI, Insights, and Impact-Recording: Part Two: From Insight to Impact: How Relationship Insights and Pipeline Development Are Reshaping Advancement

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, part two of the Future of Advancement Services series, featured Drew Phillips and Matt Smith from Oregon State University Foundation discussing how Relationship Insights and Pipeline Development teams have modernized to reshape advancement services. They explained their journey of evolving from traditional reactive research roles to proactive, analytics-driven functions that partner closely with development officers to enhance fundraising strategies.<br /><br />Key drivers for change included rapid technological evolution, especially AI, changing donor expectations for personalized experiences, and the increasing complexity of behavioral data influencing fundraising outcomes. They emphasized that Advancement Services, positioned at the intersection of mission, behavior, and data, is ideal for leveraging these technologies to improve donor engagement and institutional priorities.<br /><br />The teams split in 2020: Relationship Insights focuses on deep data analysis for managed portfolios, while Pipeline Development handles broader donor identification and qualification using analytics and automated processes like wealth screening and lead pools. Both teams upskilled in SQL and Tableau through real projects addressing institutional needs, fostering a culture of continuous learning and collaboration with the analytics department.<br /><br />A central project was revamping strategic portfolio reviews to make them data-driven and relationship-focused, building trust between analysts and fundraisers. This shift resulted in clearer, faster, and more defensible decision-making, less low-value work, and stronger internal and external relationships. The foundation now views Advancement Services as strategic partners engaged early in fundraising planning.<br /><br />Looking ahead, the teams see themselves as human translators and advisors of AI and analytics, crucial for responsible technology adoption and maintaining a people-first approach. Their transformation serves as a model for integrating data, analytics, and relationship-building to boost fundraising effectiveness and organizational agility in higher education.

Keywords

Advancement Services

Relationship Insights

Pipeline Development

Fundraising Strategies

AI in Fundraising

Data-Driven Decision Making

Donor Engagement

Analytics in Higher Education

SQL and Tableau Skills

Strategic Portfolio Reviews