Basic principles of designing a reunion gift program include beginning small, researching class prospects, gathering volunteers, determining the financial goal, communicating needs and intentions, organizing volunteers, advertising well, and making the donation at the reunion a major event. More ambitious plans can be tied into the program later.…

Two models of administering college and university alumni chapters--using volunteers or paid staff--are compared, based on comments from alumni directors who have addressed the issues. A flexible club structure, which integrates a fully structured, chartered-chapter model with two versions of predominantly staff-driven models, is proposed as…

Most college fundraising volunteers are uncomfortable asking for money. A training technique designed to help volunteers overcome these fears takes three hours and addresses attitudes about money and requesting it, good and bad solicitation, and the elements of effective solicitation. A program schedule and practical exercises are offered. (MSE)

Trends in college fund raising are identified in three areas: (1) in campaign design, goals are bigger and campaigns longer; (2) demographics of donors and volunteers have changed, with donors more skeptical, less generous, and harder to find and volunteers more scarce; and (3) government and corporate contributions are critical. (MSE)

Four articles report ideas for improving fund-raising techniques, beginning new initiatives, and maintaining donation momentum. They are: "At Centre Stage" (Shawn Lyons); "By Hook or By Crook" (Sherwood C. Haskins, Jr.); "Small Miracles" (C. Jeffery Wahlstrom); and "The Price of Participation" (Margaret A.…

Ideas are offered for targeting groups in college and university fund raising, including reunion class giving, using volunteers, soliciting parent giving, asking faculty and staff to give, and helping students establish an early giving habit. Specific solicitation strategies are provided for each group. (MSE)