Best of CASE District V Award
 

Institution: Miami University

Title of entry: Miami's Legacy Society Impact Report

About this entry: The Brice Society Impact Report was designed to bridge the university’s storied past with its ambitious future by engaging our most dedicated supporters. As a primary stewardship tool for our legacy society, the report specifically targeted donors who have included the institution in their estate plans with the goal of minimizing pipeline leakage and the revocation of planned gifts. By blending nostalgic storytelling with modern impact data, we produced an emotionally resonant piece using 100% internal resources. The strategy relied on a cross-departmental model where gift planning identified donor archetypes, stewardship sourced student stories, and marketing provided the creative vision. To connect an older demographic to current campus life, we utilized accessible design, larger typography, and a living history narrative that paired current scholarship recipients with the legacies of both past and living donors. This approach validated that these gifts of a lifetime remain vital to the university’s daily mission while creating a boutique feel without the cost of an outside agency. The results exceeded all expectations after being mailed to 728 members. We received six notifications of updated estate provisions and over 25 personal notes or calls from donors praising the content. Since we only had to pay for postage and printing, the project was highly efficient with a cost per piece under $2.05. Most importantly, this initiative established a permanent workflow for future cross-departmental collaboration, proving that internal teams can produce high-end results that secure the university’s long-term financial health through authentic donor connection.