Fiscal Year 2023 Thank You Campaign: As one of the University of Kansas’ flagship projects, this multichannel stewardship campaign thanked Fiscal Year 2022 academic donors for their support of the university. Sent by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, the messaging was themed around “Because of ‘U,’ we are KU” and emphasized how the donor’s partnership makes a difference for KU, the nation and the world. We acknowledged first-ever donors with variable messaging. The mailed piece was sent to 7,808 households with previous support and 378 first-ever donor households. The graphics and imagery emphasized the opportunities made possible by private support locally, nationally and globally by including a variety of colors and a world map centered around KU. Clouds were included to support how the university is “rising to new heights” because of donor generosity. The self-mailer envelope included the lyrics to the alma mater.

The stewardship email component was sent through ThankView to roughly 6,443 donors. Signed by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, the message thanked donors for empowering the opportunities of tomorrow and fulfilling the mission of KU. The message reinforced the mailed piece for donors receiving both email and mail and could stand alone for donors who would only be receiving email. A video from Chancellor Girod was included to further thank donors for advancing society here at home and around the world, preparing students, faculty, staff and medical professionals for the grand challenges of tomorrow. The ThankView had a 70.6% open rate (industry average 21.33% at the time) and a click rate of 16.4% (industry average 2.63% at the time).

An alternate version of the ThankView was sent to 15,718 of KU’s most loyal donors, the Jayhawk Faithful. Jayhawk Faithful donors have two or more consecutive years of giving to any area at the university. Their message mirrored the previous ThankView and emphasized our appreciation for their loyal support, year after year. Chancellor Girod filmed a separate video to thank them for their dedicated generosity. The email had a 70.9% open rate (industry average 21.33% at the time) and a click rate of 26.1% (industry average 2.63% at the time).