Giving Story Spotlight: Lewis & Clark
A bold full-page photo of Lewis & Clark students surrounding a “thank you” sign as they gather the steps of the Odell Annex building is what friends of the Portland, Ore., college see when they click on the Giving tab—especially appropriate considering the extensive focus on gratitude in many of the institution’s funding stories.
Scrolling past the fold on the Giving page, friends can read four succinct yet inspiring options for supporting student success in different ways.
Ignite immediate change with your Annual Fund gift. Your support has an immediate impact, fueling initiatives that shape the college experience for students right now.
Fuel your student’s experience through the Parents Fund. Your gift shapes the educational journey of your student and their peers, providing resources and opportunities that enrich their experience both in and out of the classroom.
Unlock opportunity through student scholarship support. Give the gift of education. When you support scholarships and financial aid, you open doors and pave the way for the next generation of aspiring leaders.
Elevate athletics by supporting our student-athletes today. Your support for L&C athletics programming and teams fuels wins on and off the field and shapes the student-athlete experience today.
The list is followed by a Give Now button, for those feeling informed enough to select a gift right away.
STORIES THEY’RE TELLING: Effective storytelling can also be succinct. Scrolling further on the main giving site, visitors can click through a slideshow of three individual student snapshots about how their financial aid offers allowed them to attend L&C.
Further down on the page are two featured news stories plus a link to more. As of today, April 11, one featured story dated March 20 covers how a $5 million commitment from a Board of Trustees member and her husband is forming an endowment to fund the Career Accelerator, which will integrate skills development and paid internships across all academic programs.
The second story, dated March 12, highlights how Bacchus Ultimate, the men’s frisbee team, raised over $900 on the recent Day of Giving by raffling off two jerseys and tapping into the alumni network. Written in a team member’s own words, the short piece explains how funding is offsetting flights and accommodations for an upcoming tournament in North Carolina. “The ability to travel for tournaments opens huge opportunities for Bacchus to continue competing at the highest level, and getting so much support from our community, financially, and otherwise, really makes a difference,” writes the athlete. “We are currently ranked in the top five teams in the country and are hoping to make a deep run at Nationals in May, so all support is appreciated.”
The “more news and events” link allows potential donors to explore 187 giving stories, including a Day of Giving impact article with numbers and photos, and summaries of 2024 giving by parents, students, and alumni, featuring photos and quotes from individuals. A separate tab leads to announcements about 73 past giving-related events, such as a Student Philanthropy Council career and networking event in early April and Thank a Donor Day in November 2024.
One stories-alert item on Lewis & Clark’s giving page menu, shown in the right-hand column, is titled Your Gifts in Action. That page’s intro stresses how contributions “enhance educational and co-curricular programs, fund scholarships, and improve campus facilities, ensuring that our students receive a top-tier education and the resources they need to succeed now and in the future.”
Then a collection of five featured stats spotlights how the $10+ million in gifts in the past year have made an “immediate impact on the areas of greatest need.” The stats bring to life College Outdoors trips by noting the top elevation reached, as well as note the number of potential jobs and internships sourced by the career center, how many new titles were purchased by the library, the percent of undergrads studying overseas or off-campus, and the number of wins for the softball team.
STORYTELLING TAKEAWAYS: Consider modeling these aspects of Lewis & Clark’s advancement site strategy.
Don’t be leery of leading with a single meaningful photo.
Present brief explanations of popular funds, but lead with verbs that call donors to action (ignite immediate change…, fuel your student’s experience…, unlock opportunity through scholarship support…, elevate athletics…).
Focus on gratitude, in individuals’ own words, in photos of students expressing thanks, and in mentions of events and traditions centered around giving thanks.
Create slideshows to present a series of student quotes.
Share a few giving-related article headlines and summaries on the main page with a link to more.
Make the effort to present giving-related stats as bold visuals, and go beyond just presenting the most obvious numbers (such as giving totals).
Know of an advancement site with a focus on impact storytelling? Please share!