Project Scope

The Advancement Technology Project will be focused on:

  • Those aspects of advancement related to constituency relationship management (CRM).
  • Constituent Relationship Management is a function of the advancement community management functions (identification, recruitment, development, maintenance, growth, evolution and termination), constituency entities (see definition below), and relationship objectives (education, research and service).

The Project defines advancement community as:

  • Collaborative effort to create, build, and maintain strategic relationships with key constituencies (alumni, donors, legislators, community leaders, current and prospective students, corporations, foundations, etc.) to advance the mission of the University.
  • Relationship-building disciplines work together toward common goal of generating university support whether in dollars, advocacy, volunteerism, good will, positive image, or other support.

The advancement community defines constituency to include:

  • Individuals (i.e. current students, alumni, friends, prospective donors, and donors)
  • Groups (i.e. athletics, fraternities and sororities, churches, and governmental entities including Libraries, and Chambers of Commerce)
  • Organizations (i.e. K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, corporations/businesses, and foundations)
  • Geographical Units (i.e. neighborhood, city, state)

During the Discovery Phase of the project the team will:

  • What?
    • Conduct a needs analysis and solutions/feasibility analysis

  • Why?
    • To document the needs of the advancement community in terms of their ability to manage relationships with their constituents
    • To provide the Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) with a set of recommendations for filling the gaps

  • How?
    • By conducting a thorough requirements gathering exercise and a comprehensive technical assessment
    • By focusing on providing the data and systems infrastructure