Buffs All In: Enhancing Collaboration for CU Boulder’s Giving Day

About the Episode: In this episode, we’re joined by Maria Kuntz, Creative Communications and Services Director for CU Boulder Advancement, and Noelle Seybert, Director of Social Media at CU Boulder. They will discuss their innovative approach to amplifying Buffs All In, CU Boulder’s Giving Day, by building a cross-campus stakeholder group to enhance campus buy-in and increase engagement.

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Tune in as Maria and Noelle share the challenges they faced, the strategies they employed, and the successes they achieved in making Buffs All In a more collaborative and impactful event. Learn about the importance of empowering stakeholders, creating a consistent experience across campus, and leveraging social media to reach a wider audience. Discover how their efforts in process mapping, toolkit creation, and stakeholder training have set the stage for ongoing growth and success.

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Join us for an insightful conversation on breaking down silos, fostering cross-campus collaboration, and driving meaningful change in higher education fundraising.

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Key Takeaways

• The Power of Collaboration: A cross-campus stakeholder group ensured cohesive messaging and maximized impact for Buffs All In Giving Day.
• Toolkit for Success: A well-organized digital toolkit provided partners with the resources and guidance needed to effectively contribute to the initiative.
• Results That Matter: Year two saw significant growth, including a 33% increase in funds raised, a 49% increase in first-time donors, and participation from donors across 45 states and eight countries.
• Iterative Approach: By analyzing data and feedback from year one, the team improved processes and streamlined operations, creating an even stronger foundation for future success.

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Episode Summary

A Brief History of Buffs All In Giving Day

CU Boulder’s Buffs All In Giving Day is a relatively new initiative, having launched in March 2023. Year one focused on building a foundation and gaining initial buy-in, while year two expanded on those efforts with a strong emphasis on collaboration and refinement. CU Boulder Advancement partnered with stakeholders across campus to ensure that every department felt empowered to contribute.

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Breaking Silos: Building a Collaborative Stakeholder Group

Maria Kuntz shared how building a robust stakeholder group was critical to the success of Buffs All In. Representatives from advancement, athletics, alumni relations, and CU Boulder’s central marketing teams worked closely to align goals and strategies. By involving diverse voices, the initiative ensured that messaging resonated across all departments and audiences.

Collaboration wasn’t just about meetings; it was about shared ownership. Stakeholders weren’t just contributors—they became advocates for the campaign, spreading awareness and enthusiasm throughout their respective units.

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Simplifying Success with a Toolkit

One standout feature of the campaign was the digital toolkit developed for campus partners. As Noelle Seybert explained, this resource included everything from social media templates and messaging guides to communication calendars and detailed content examples. Designed with input from various teams, the toolkit allowed departments to maintain their unique voices while staying aligned with the overarching campaign.

Key features of the toolkit included:

• Customizable social media templates.
• Messaging guidelines tailored for different audiences.
• Pre-approved images and videos for consistent branding.
• Insights into campaign timelines for better coordination.

By using the toolkit, campus partners felt empowered to create high-quality, on-brand content, reducing the workload for central teams and driving participation.

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Lessons from Year Two

Social Media Strategy Shifts

In year two, CU Boulder’s main social media channel led the charge, amplifying Buffs All In across its vast audience. This approach ensured greater visibility and alignment while allowing individual schools and departments to contribute in meaningful ways.

Noelle highlighted the importance of strategic timing, layering social media posts with other campaign efforts like email and events to sustain momentum throughout the day.

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Celebrating Results

The results of year two were remarkable:

• Donors and Gifts: A 6% increase in donors and an 11% increase in gifts.
• Total Funds Raised: A 33% increase, demonstrating the effectiveness of expanded efforts.
• First-Time Donors: A staggering 49% of donors were new, showcasing the campaign’s broad reach.
• Geographic Impact: Donors from 45 states and eight countries contributed, underscoring the global appeal of CU Boulder’s mission.

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Insights for Year Three and Beyond

CU Boulder’s iterative approach ensures continual growth. By analyzing download data from the toolkit and feedback from stakeholders, the team identified areas for improvement, such as adding new resources and refining existing materials. Year three promises to build on this momentum with even greater collaboration and innovation.

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About the Show:  We hear it every day across campuses: “We need to be working more collaboratively.” The higher education industry is notoriously siloed, with colleagues struggling to connect, duplicating services or having disjointed messaging.

Breaking Silos aims to showcase the remarkable work of marketing professionals and their non-marketing colleagues from different departments across campus, who come together to achieve common goals, implement new initiatives, enhance the student experience, and foster better collaboration among teams.

Each episode features a marketer and their non-marketing colleague to talk about their partnership. This unique format will inspire marketers to try new things and connect with colleagues in new ways, while also allowing non-marketing professionals an inside look at some of the most collaborative projects in higher education marketing.

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Connect With Our Host:
Shane Baglini
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanebaglini/

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network: Breaking Silos is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and The Application with Allison Turcio.

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 —  the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.