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Playbook

Penn State Athletics

The Nittany Lion Club, aimed to equip each team with the necessary resources to independently help raise funds and engage their top donors. While each team previously had its own Excellence Fund dedicated to supporting its program, they lacked the tools to effectively engage donors in innovative ways. The introduction of the Insider Inbox addresses this gap by providing the necessary tools and strategies to enhance donor engagement and fundraising efforts.

80%
Platform adoption rate
28
Team Adoption
92%
Donor satisfaction
6x
Repeat donor likelihood
Penn State Athletics

Goals & Progress

Platform Adoption

Target80% active usage
Achieved80% adoption rate
TimelineQ4 2023
Completed

Excellence Funds

TargetAll teams equipped
Achieved31 active funds
TimelineQ3 2023
Completed

Donor Satisfaction

Target85% satisfaction
Achieved92% satisfaction
TimelineQ4 2023
Completed

The Playbook

Team Empowerment

Equipped each team with resources to manage their Excellence Fund

  • Dedicated fundraising tools
  • Content creation resources
  • Performance analytics

High-Value Donor Focus

Concentrated engagement strategy for top donors

  • Personalized communication
  • Exclusive access
  • Impact reporting

Multi-Channel Engagement

Comprehensive communication approach

  • Sport-specific updates
  • Donor impact stories
  • Event invitations

Data-Driven Strategy

Analytics-based decision making

  • Donor behavior tracking
  • Response rate analysis
  • ROI measurement

Implementation Journey

January 2023

Initiative Launch

Kickoff of the Excellence Fund program across all teams

Key Milestone
March 2023

Team Training

Comprehensive training for all coaching staffs on platform usage

Key Milestone
May 2023

First Success Stories

Initial Excellence Funds show significant donor engagement

July 2023

Platform Enhancement

Added sport-specific customization features

September 2023

Full Adoption

Achieved 80% platform utilization across all teams

Key Milestone
December 2023

Year-End Success

Exceeded all program objectives with 92% donor satisfaction

Key Milestone

Top Performing Videos

Exclusive content that drove record-breaking engagement across both VIP and mass audience segments.

BaseballSeason Preview

Baseball Season Preview

A behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the season opener in Puerto Rico, building excitement for the upcoming games.

43%
Open Rate
178%
View Rate
HockeyPre-gameBehind the Scenes

Hockey Pre-Game Access

An exclusive behind-the-scenes look as Coach Guy Gadowsky and his staff prepare the locker room and finalize pre-game strategies before the season opener.

22%
Open Rate
32%
View Rate
Basketball

Basketball Alumni Update

Happy New Year message to alumni. Reconnect with former team members, foster a sense of community, and encourage participation in an alumni event.

27%
Open Rate
34%
View Rate

Impact & Results

31 Funds
Active Excellence Funds
80% Usage
Platform adoption
6x Higher
Repeat donor rate
Insider Inbox allows our head coaches to foster deeper connections with our top 20% donors to generate the funds necessary to support their program's needs.
Alyssa Francona
Alyssa Francona
Senior Associate AD for Advancement