Giving Pages Need Impact Stories, and Institutional Leaders Can Help

6 ways presidents and other executive-level higher education officials can support effective storytelling on the main “make a gift” page:

As a longtime education journalist and content creator who can’t resist clicking through to an institution’s giving page, no matter what initially brings me to that college or university website, I often find myself disappointed to see that the “make a gift” page is literally just that—a form for donating to the college or university.

I’d like to see a lot more stories about the impact donations are having or could have on specific efforts and individuals. In my Substack publication, I’ve been profiling institutions I come across that have understood the assignment. In this era of slashed and uncertain funding, attracting donor dollars is more important than ever. Telling powerful giving site stories will ensure that any gift-minded individual clicking through on that page will find something irresistible.

College presidents and other executive-level officials have always been involved with fundraising, but now is the time to ensure advancement and communications departments are upping their game on creating compelling giving page storytelling. Here are six ways to support that aim.

1. Open up discussion with advancement leaders about enhancing the page that friends land on when clicking “Make a Gift” or “Give Now” (from the institution’s home page) to include stories that will inspire gift-giving.

Aside from during fundraising campaigns and on giving days, most of these pages are just an “order form,” perhaps with a drop-down menu of general giving options, like scholarships and basic needs supports. You may encounter concerns about a would-be donor abandoning the gift idea if the page’s content seems busy and distracting. Colleges with robust giving pages often resolve that potential challenge by placing give now links or buttons in multiple places on the page, allowing potential donors the option to do just that with just one additional click.

2. Encourage conversation between communications and advancement leaders at the institution about how existing news content could be shown on the giving page.

Many giving pages with content limit it to articles about major gifts and the impact they are having, and maybe throw in some giving day impact stories highlighting programs that got a boost. But deeper discussion about other content produced by the communications team, such as features on new or expanding student supports or academic offerings, or student success stories, can lead to decisions about what specific existing stories and future story types would make sense to include on the giving page. 

3. Ensure the collaboration addresses simple ways to tie the story to financial support.

Giving page story content likely already exists elsewhere on the institution’s website, but repurposing an article specifically for giving-minded visitors takes a few extra—yet easy—steps.

One example: An article about a new program should specifically include the fact that the initiative will continue to thrive with continued support from donors, and through a button or link at the end of the story the reader can be taken to a giving form with the option of donating to that program.

Some colleges insert multiple call-to-action suggestions within a single repurposed article. But avoid falling into the trap of only doing this when there’s time. CTAs on advancement site stories should become the rule, rather than an occasional move.

4. Establish an expectation for a shared advancement storytelling strategy.

Think of repurposed existing news content as the low-hanging fruit. Reaching further, advancement and communications pros can plant giving stories together.

What supports or other programs need gifts to sprout or grow? Which students could share inspiring stories of their success due to scholarships or other supports? Could a “fund of the month” model produce a collection of stories to encourage gifts to a particular cause? What existing conversations, such as about potential alumni to feature in the institution’s magazine, could be expanded to specifically discuss ideal giving page stories? What annual giving day success stories can be expanded into articles that encourage additional support?

5. Give potential new major donors general ideas and information on what the process of making a transformational gift could look like.

Major gift officers naturally need to be in conversation with potential big donors to uncover a match between individual passions and institutional priorities. With higher ed needing to replace lost grants and other government funding, finding new major donors is more important than ever.

But those who haven’t dabbled much in higher education philanthropy may need some understanding of how million-dollar-plus gifts can make a real difference to an institution. Rather than just asking friends to call if they have an interest in a major gift, consider how stories on the giving site could give some perspective on the many possibilities.  

6. Budget for an advancement storytelling role.

Having one or more communication officers embedded in the advancement office is a sure way to show that giving-related content is a priority. Although communications and advancement are often under the same umbrella on campuses, a focused role will very likely be superior to giving content sitting as an “extra” for comms teams to try to make time for.

Here are a few examples of advancement communication roles and how the storytelling aspects of their jobs are worded.

• Writer, Advancement Communications at Bentley University: Identify opportunities for storytelling to share impact and translate initiatives into compelling cases for support.
• Director of Advancement Communications, Amherst College: As an editorial partner to the alumni magazine and other divisions,, the Director will bring an alumni advancement perspective to storytelling, ensuring that alumni narratives are meaningfully connected to broader College goals.
• Assistant Director for Advancement Communications and Events, Morgan State University: The primary focus is on storytelling to highlight philanthropy's impact, creating content that resonates with donors, alumni, and other key stakeholders through a philanthropic and stewardship lens. 

What is the greeting your institution is giving friends who are in a donor frame of mind when on your institution’s website?

Follow the above actions, and a cold transactional setting can instead become an inspiring warm welcome.