Engagement is the foundation of any great alumni program. It’s the thread that keeps your mission alive, building trust, driving referrals, and building connections to foster lasting recovery. Yet, measuring engagement often feels overwhelming.But it doesn’t have to be.
Engagement is the foundation of any great alumni program. It’s the thread that keeps your mission alive, building trust, driving referrals, and building connections to foster lasting recovery. Yet, measuring engagement often feels overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Neena Wilcox, a former leader at a renowned trauma treatment center and now an Alumni Engagement Consultant at Encyrcle, puts it simply: “When alumni stay engaged, everything changes—referrals, donations, participation. It’s not just data; it’s the story of how you’re making an impact.”
Here’s how to focus on the right metrics, tell that story, and turn numbers into action.
KPIs are more than numbers—they’re a lens into what’s working and what isn’t. They help you focus your efforts, advocate for resources, and prove the value of alumni programs with confidence.
“When I started tracking referrals, I realized our alumni referrals were flat,” Neena recalls. “Once we shifted our focus to alumni engagement, referrals skyrocketed from 18% to over 60%. That’s the power of understanding your numbers.”
The right KPIs provide the focus to take action, the evidence to inspire leadership, and the confidence to drive growth.
Not all metrics are created equal. Here are six KPIs that cut through the noise and help you focus on what truly drives alumni engagement:
Referrals aren’t just metrics—they’re trust in action. When alumni refer others, it shows your program works and your relationships are strong.
How to Measure:
Events create moments that matter. They’re where connection turns into community.
How to Measure:
Every touchpoint is a chance to connect. From birthday texts to newsletters, small gestures build trust.
How to Measure:
Donations are more than dollars—they’re alumni saying, “I believe in what you do.”
How to Measure:
Retention shows who’s sticking around. Re-engagement tells you how to bring people back.
How to Measure:
Some KPIs are about prevention. Spotting alumni in crisis and providing timely support is a metric that truly matters.
How to Measure:
KPIs don’t work in isolation—they’re only as powerful as the goals you tie them to.
Goal
Actionable KPI
When KPIs align with your vision, they stop being numbers on a page and start being tools for transformation.
It’s not just about gathering data—it’s about putting it to use.
Platforms like Encyrcle centralize your data and give you real-time insights, so you can focus on what matters most: connecting with alumni.
“When I started, we were stuck in spreadsheets,” Neena says. “Encyrcle changed everything. It gave us clarity and freed up time to focus on people, not paperwork.”
Data can be simple and still tell a powerful story. Present KPI insights visually to highlight what’s driving success and pinpoint opportunities for improvement.
KPIs aren’t static. The best programs adapt based on what the data tells them. Keep asking: What’s working? What’s next?
Measuring alumni engagement isn’t just about tracking activity—it’s about creating meaningful, lasting connections.
As Neena says, “Engagement is everything. When alumni feel connected, the ripple effects are undeniable. Referrals increase, and participation improves, fostering a more connected and active community. The data is there to guide you—you just have to use it.”
With the right KPIs and tools to simplify the process, you can move beyond measurement and into transformation—one connection at a time.
