By: Melissa Kwilosz – EVP, Advancement Strategy, Affinaquest
As we close out 2024, I’m struck by how this year challenged and inspired the advancement community. From navigating evolving financial pressures to tackling data integration and AI, institutions have shown remarkable creativity and resilience. Let’s take a closer look at three key trends that shaped the year.
Philanthropy: Filling the Void
University funding models are a labyrinth—balancing tuition, research grants, public-private partnerships, state funding, and philanthropy. The pressure on advancement teams to close financial gaps has never been greater, and 2024 brought some unique challenges:
- The NCAA Settlement’s Ripple Effect: With the $2.78B settlement clearing a path for revenue sharing with student-athletes, athletics departments may soon face $20M+ in annual funding needs. This will require unprecedented collaboration between athletics and advancement to secure philanthropic support.
- Affordable Tuition Initiatives: Institutions like MIT, the University of Texas System, and Carnegie Mellon are committing to free or low-cost tuition for low- and middle-income families. Advancement offices are stepping up to secure scholarships and fund programs that expand access.
These challenges have placed an even brighter spotlight on the role of advancement. To meet these demands, teams must meaningfully engage constituents, uncover new donors, and leverage data to prioritize their efforts.
Data-Driven Strategy: From Talk to Execution
Data was the star of nearly every advancement conference this year. Whether it’s improving data quality, integrating siloed systems, or using analytics to drive strategy, everyone’s talking about it.
But for all the buzz, many institutions are still stuck in spreadsheets, bogged down by silos, and spending precious hours cleaning data. We’ve been discussing the “why” and “what” of better data strategies for over 15 years—though the real stumbling blocks are often the “how” and the “who.”
From my experience working with dozens of institutions transitioning into the Salesforce ecosystem, those that truly transform their data landscapes share three traits:
- They Treat Data as an Institutional Asset: Successful institutions view their data as their most important asset after their people. They have strong data governance, clear ownership, collaborative processes, and necessary security and privacy policies.
- They Invest in the Right Tech Stack: It’s not just about a shiny CRM interface. These institutions ensure they have the tools—data storage, integration, and reporting systems—that bring together data from advancement, athletics, academic medical centers, and more. This collaboration and technology backbone ensures their data informs strategy, not just aesthetics.
- They Build the Right Teams: A modern data strategy requires more than technical tools and skills. Institutions need professionals who can turn insights into action—whether that’s uncovering donor sentiment or prioritizing pipeline strategies. Looking outside higher ed for these skillsets has helped many institutions make the leap from “strategy” to “results.”
Without the tools and people to support a modern data strategy, even the best CRM won’t deliver on its potential.
AI: Curiosity and Caution
If there was one question we heard consistently in 2024, it was, “What about AI?” Institutions are eager to understand what AI can do and how it might transform their work—though most also admit they’re not quite ready.
The announcement of William & Mary’s AI-powered fundraiser, Wren, sparked a lot of conversation. The idea of an AI-driven fundraiser is bold and visionary—but for many institutions still managing corporate engagement in spreadsheets, it can feel like a distant dream.
At Affinaquest, we’re focused on practical, purpose-driven AI solutions that complement the work of advancement teams:
- AI-Generated Profiles and Correspondence: Automating repetitive tasks to free up time for strategy and engagement.
- Major Gift Proposal Development and Pipeline Analysis: Using AI tools to refine strategies and identify opportunities.
Of course, the effectiveness of AI depends on the quality of the data feeding it. We’re working with clients to tackle this problem, too, but without a comprehensive strategy that supports clean, complete, and accessible data, even the best AI models will struggle.
AI’s rapid evolution is exciting but also daunting. Institutions need to think critically about governance, data privacy, and the impact on staff and donors before diving in. But then again, 15 years ago, colleges and universities broadly adopting the world’s #1 CRM felt like a moonshot. The pace of innovation means we’re likely to see some incredible breakthroughs in the next few years.
Looking Ahead
2024 challenged advancement teams to rethink how they approach everything—from funding gaps to technology adoption. It also proved that this community is full of forward-thinkers ready to embrace change.
2025 will undoubtedly bring more hurdles and more innovation. To those of you driving this work: keep pushing! Whether it’s tackling data silos, piloting new AI tools, or breaking down internal barriers, your work is shaping the future of advancement.
At Affinaquest, we’re proud to be part of this journey with you. Let’s see where 2025 takes us.
