Best of CASE District V Award
 

Institution: Miami University

Title of entry: Gift Planning Website

About this entry: This initiative transformed the university’s approach to philanthropy by democratizing "gifts of assets," shifting the donor base from simple cash contributions toward sophisticated, high-impact giving. By blending technical rigor with creative digital tools, the team built a public-facing portal that serves as both a comprehensive financial resource and an emotional connector for the community.

The strategic intent was to demystify complex gift vehicles. By providing legally accurate education alongside interactive tools, we empowered donors to visualize their personal impact, making planned giving approachable for all.

This success was driven by a cross-functional partnership:

Gift Planning ensured compliance and donor-centric language.

Marketing & Communications managed branding and storytelling.

Endowment Development Services (EDS) provided the backend architecture.

Despite using an external vendor, the internal team maintained 100% control over content and design, ensuring the result reflected the university’s unique voice.

The results have been transformative. While gift planning sites typically generate 5x–100x higher returns than standard fundraising, our outdated previous site was underperforming. The new platform provides 24/7 access to complex gift scenarios and legacy society information. By enabling donors to feel secure in making gifts of assets, we are driving larger contributions, higher retention, and deeper engagement. Ultimately, this platform showcases our organizational longevity and secures the university’s financial future.