Key takeaways
- Call recent donors to renew, lapsed alumni to come back and parents during the student's first years.
- Calls work best around moments: reunions, giving days and fiscal year-end.
- Student phonathons build connection; professional callers bring consistency and reach. Many schools use both.
Who to call
- Current and recent donors to renew and, where it fits, upgrade.
- Lapsed alumni donors, starting with those who gave most recently.
- Young alumni, for whom a small, regular gift is a realistic first step.
- Parents and families of current students.
- Reunion classes ahead of their reunion year.
When to call
Plan calling around the moments that already give alumni a reason to give: the months before fiscal year-end (June 30 for many schools), giving days, reunions and the calendar year-end. Our fundraising calendar lists the key dates.
Student phonathon or professional callers?
- Student callers share current campus stories and connect generations of alumni, but turnover is high and calling is limited to the academic calendar.
- Professional callers keep consistent quality, call year-round and can scale up for giving days or fiscal year-end.
- Hybrid programs use students for warm segments and professional callers for lapsed and hard-to-reach alumni.
See our outsourcing vs. hiring guide and comparison of calling firms.
What to ask about
- Remind donors to request an employer matching gift.
- Offer monthly giving to young alumni with our monthly giving script.
- Update contact and employment data on every call.
How KFG helps
Kensington Fundraising Group runs annual fund, reactivation and giving-day calls for colleges and universities, in English and Spanish, and can work alongside your student program. See lapsed donor reactivation.