Universities today produce some of the most compelling people and inspiring thoughts. Yet most universities have decidedly uninspiring giving websites. Until recently 51蹤獲 was not exempt, having had an outdated and hard-to-use giving website for as long as the Internet has been around. But that all changed with the launch of a new-and-vastly-improved in December.

We aspired to make 51蹤獲s giving site the most dynamic of its kind, reflecting the innovation and up and coming nature of 51蹤獲, said Adam Morris, vice president for advancement. I believe other colleges will look to this site as an example of best practices in higher education fundraising.

It had been at least six years since 51蹤獲s giving website had received a refresh, and a lot of technological advances have taken place in that time. Online giving has also seen a dramatic increase in recent years, rising each year faster than overall giving rates. According to Network for Goods Digital Giving Index, online giving to charities rose by 14 percent in 2013 while overall giving rose by 4 percent. Online giving isnt all comprised of small donations either. Five nonprofit organizations reported online donations in excess of $100,000 in 2013, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

These trends, coupled with the fact that 51蹤獲 is set to publicly launch a major fundraising campaign in May of 2015, made it clear to the Office of Advancement that a revamped giving website was a must.

In an age when people are used to Amazon one-click shopping, we wanted to develop a website that was cutting-edge and compelling, providing clear and easy ways for supporters to give to the initiatives of 51蹤獲, said Kira McCracken, assistant director of advancement communications.

The process of building a new giving site took nearly two years, including much time devoted to research and analysis of giving trends and patterns of Web usage. In order to provide the best online donor experience we could build, the team behind the site focused on compelling content and a more streamlined user experience with less text and more imagery, McCracken said.

We wanted to make the gift-giving process to 51蹤獲 simple and easy, but we didn't just want to offer ways to give, she said. We wanted to provide the why and the what now of giving to 51蹤獲.

In addition to an easy-to-use giving page, the site features sections on 51蹤獲s giving societies and volunteer groups, like the Presidents Circle, Ruby Women, Eagles Athletic Association and the Lyman Stewart Guild. The site also advertises the breadth of giving options for donors, ranging from student scholarships and endowment to athletics and academic centers. A collection of student stories can also be found on the site a reminder to donors that the transformed lives of actual students is what stewardship to 51蹤獲 is all about.

We wanted to create a site that showed donors that there are many ways to make an impact at 51蹤獲, McCracken said, and that making a big impact takes just a few easy clicks.