Here's what CoPilot says. Hopefully it's helpful. Happy reading....
How does it benefit Advancement activities at a university to have faculty and staff data in their fundraising database?
Universities sometimes underestimate how powerful it is to include faculty and staff information in their Advancement or fundraising database. In reality, it strengthens almost every part of the Advancement ecosystem. A few of the biggest advantages stand out:
Why Faculty & Staff Data Matters for Advancement
1. Stronger relationship mapping
Faculty and staff often have deep, long‑standing relationships with students, alumni, parents, and community partners. When Advancement can see:
- who taught whom
- who advised which students
- who collaborated on research
- who led certain programs
...it becomes much easier to identify warm connections that can open doors for fundraising conversations. A faculty member's endorsement can be the difference between a cold outreach and a meaningful engagement.
2. Better prospect identification
Faculty and staff often know:
- which alumni are especially successful
- which former students are passionate about certain programs
- which industry partners might be open to collaboration
When Advancement can link faculty/staff to academic programs, research centers, or student groups, it becomes easier to spot potential donors who care about those areas.
3. More personalized donor engagement
Knowing which faculty or staff members are connected to a donor allows Advancement to:
- invite the right people to meetings
- craft more relevant communications
- involve faculty in stewardship
- tailor proposals to the donor's academic interests
This makes donor interactions feel authentic rather than transactional.
4. Improved internal collaboration
When Advancement has accurate faculty/staff data, it can:
- coordinate better with academic departments
- avoid duplicate outreach
- keep everyone aligned on donor strategy
- ensure faculty are informed before being asked to participate in donor meetings
This reduces friction and builds trust between Advancement and academic units.
5. Enhanced stewardship and recognition
Faculty and staff often play a key role in:
- thanking donors
- reporting on the impact of gifts
- participating in events
Having their information in the database helps Advancement track who should be involved in stewardship activities and ensures donors feel connected to the people and programs they support.
6. Stronger culture of philanthropy
When faculty and staff are included in the system:
- they can be recognized for their own giving
- internal giving campaigns become easier to manage
- Advancement can track participation rates
- the institution can celebrate internal philanthropy more effectively
This reinforces the idea that giving is part of the university's shared mission.
7. Cleaner data and better analytics
Faculty and staff often appear in multiple systems-HR, academic records, research systems. Integrating them into the fundraising database:
- reduces duplicate records
- improves data quality
- supports more accurate reporting
- helps Advancement understand the full ecosystem of relationships around the university
Better data leads to better strategy.
If you want, I can also help you frame this into a presentation slide, a memo to leadership, or a policy recommendation.