Alumni Nations is Founded
While managing K12 partnerships for Coca-Cola, our founder saw the power of public/private collaboration. Realizing most education foundations failed within three years, Alumni Nations was founded to build lasting alumni programs for long-term financial and community support.
First Clients – Menasha & CESA 6
Menasha Joint School District became our first client, partnering to build a sustainable alumni engagement strategy. With support from CESA 6, we led a $3.5 million capital campaign funding stadium upgrades, soccer fields, and band uniforms—proving alumni impact.
Educating Public Schools on Alumni Engagement
Since the concept of engaging with alumni was so new for public schools, we had the unique opportunity to offer a solution for a problem that they didn't realize they had yet. As success stories spread, we expanded to offer capital campaign consulting and branded apparel stores, helping schools maximize alumni support and connection.
Strategic Shift – Refining Our Focus
After managing successful capital campaigns, we faced a choice: focus on long-term alumni engagement or large-scale fundraising. We doubled down on our core mission—building sustainable alumni networks—and phased out branded apparel stores due to low return on investment for our clients.
Growth & Expanding Our Reach
After strong results with early clients, more schools and education foundations adopted structured alumni engagement programs. As schools shared best practices, success spread rapidly across districts, creating a network and community of alumni-driven efforts.
The Birth of Give-Education Day
We launched Give-Education Day, a nationwide initiative to mobilize alumni giving on one day. The first event saw strong participation and donation growth, proving that a collective giving day could be a game-changer for public schools.
Scaling Impact & Thought Leadership
Alumni Nations expanded nationwide, serving more school districts and education foundations. We started attending and sponsoring major education conferences like ISTE, NAPSF, and UAPSF, solidifying our expertise, and launched client success initiatives to maximize alumni fundraising and engagement.
Major Partnerships & National Growth
We formalized strategic partnerships with The Callahan Collaborative and Usio Payment Solutions, enhancing client value. With a revamped brand, website, and marketing approach, we continue to improve and enhance our customized alumni engagement solutions for education foundations throughout the country.
