Growing support for UMA, together
UMA HAS STORIES WORTH SHARING
UMA has no shortage of great stories to tell because of the work you do every day.
Our students, alumni, faculty and programs are making a difference across Maine. When more people hear those stories and understand where they can help, we believe they will want to stay connected and support UMA.
WHAT WE ARE BUILDING
UMA is building a more coordinated and sophisticated advancement and alumni relations program.
A strong program:
- Keeps alumni connected through stories, events, mentoring and volunteer opportunities.
- Knows who our donors and supporters are and what they care about.
- Connects donor interests with student and program needs.
- Coordinates outreach and fundraising requests across UMA.
- Thanks supporters consistently and shows them what their support made possible.
- Recognizes donors and partners publicly, when appropriate, and with their permission.
Over time, these relationships can lead to more support for scholarships, equipment, student experiences and program priorities.
Many of UMA’s strongest relationships begin within academic programs.
You know the alumni who remain connected. You work with employers, advisory groups and community partners. You see the student successes, faculty work and program outcomes that deserve a wider audience.
We need your help to:
- Point us toward alumni, donors, employers and partners who care about UMA and your programs.
- Share stories that show the impact of your students, faculty and programs.
- Identify program needs that could become strong funding opportunities.
- Bring External Relations into conversations about gifts, sponsorships, scholarships, equipment or in-kind support.
PLEASE KEEP US IN THE LOOP
If you are talking with someone about supporting UMA, please let External Relations know early.
That allows us to coordinate outreach, check the history of the relationship, help prepare for the conversation and plan the follow-up. It also helps make sure the people connected to your program are thanked, included in UMA communications and recognized in ways that feel right to them.
Sharing a relationship does not mean handing it over. External Relations works alongside you, adding the fundraising strategy, communications, CRM tracking, gift processing and stewardship that help the relationship grow.
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT GIFT PROCESSING
The University receives donations most commonly through online donations via uma.edu/give or via check.
All donations to UMA should be sent to the Advancement Office at 46 University Drive, Augusta, ME 04330. The check or accompanying paperwork should clearly indicate what the donation is intended to support.
If your program or office receives a check, please send it promptly to Advancement so the gift can be deposited, recorded, and credited to the correct purpose. This also helps us make sure the donor is thanked and acknowledged appropriately.
The stories and relationships are already here. Your help will allow us to bring more of them forward and show more people how they can be part of UMA’s future.
GET IN TOUCH
Kristen Eaton – kristen.eaton@maine.edu | Carolyn Anderson – carolyn.anderson@maine.edu | Elizabeth Glover – elizabeth.p.glover@maine.edu
MOMENTUM IS BUILDING
UMA is building the foundation for a stronger, more intentional advancement and alumni relations program.
20,000+ donor and alumni records
Following a significant data cleanup, we now have more than 20,000 records to support more accurate, targeted and meaningful outreach.
100+ UMA stories shared
We sent a segmented mailing to donors and alumni and invited them to share their UMA stories. More than 100 people responded. Their experiences are now fueling a fall storytelling campaign showcasing UMA’s impact on our graduates, communities and state.
Alumni reconnecting across generations
We hosted our first alumni gathering as part of this renewed effort, bringing together more than 20 people representing multiple graduation decades.
Better tools for building relationships
UMA is preparing to transition to a new systemwide advancement CRM. This will improve how we manage information, coordinate outreach and build lasting relationships with alumni, donors and prospective supporters.
WHAT’S NEXT
- Finalize clear, consistent advancement processes.
- Build and execute a more intentional annual fundraising cycle.
- Strengthen donor and alumni engagement and stewardship using industry best practices.
- Expand outreach to prospective donors, partners and other supporters of UMA.
- Connect supporters’ interests with UMA’s students, programs and institutional priorities.