CAP Alumni Association and donating to CAP?

[RNOfficer]

Do I understand correctly that the CAP Alumni Association -- such-as-it-is now -- is just people who contribute to the CAP Foundation?

I'm not sure but I don't believe that it is necessary to donate to the CAP Foundation be recorded as one of the "2423 alumni of record".. However, as I've written, almost all the communication on the alumni webpage regards such donations.

[Eclipse]

Do "alumni" even really exist in the way being discussed here?

There is no "graduation" from CAP, since there's no top-end to the age of participation,
therefore, anyone who wants to remain affiliated with the organization as a full member
(even if they never show) can do so indefinitely at the tolerance level of the CC they are
assigned to, unlike a school, where if you aren't registered, you can't hang around, thus alumni groups.

The nearest thing to alumni are the Patrons, and they are already writing checks to little benefit for themselves.

Due to the nature of CAP, if you're not carrying an ID card in your wallet of one type or another,
you likely either moved on with life and don't care about CAP enough to give money, or left with a bad
taste in your mouth and won't be writing checks, either.

[Ned]

Do "alumni" even really exist in the way being discussed here?

There is no "graduation" from CAP, since there's no top-end to the age of participation,
therefore, anyone who wants to remain affiliated with the organization as a full member
(even if they never show) can do so indefinitely at the tolerance level of the CC they are
assigned to, unlike a school, where if you aren't registered, you can't hang around, thus alumni groups.

Interesting question.  I was unable to find any other youth groups, for example, with a significant alumni association.  The Scouts, apparently have some smaller organizations (former Eagles, OA types etc.) that more closely resemble our Spaatz association.  But even without a formal "BSA Alumni Association," they get good results in terms of money and influence from former Scouts.

The academic alumni association is the most familiar model, and even those vary widely.  Small, public schools have alumni associations that struggle.  Large elite universities can have significant associations.  The service academies have vibrant associations.  I met with the folks from the AF Academy association as part of my research.

I was able to find some high school alumni associations, but they tend to struggle even more than collegiate associations.

The one thing I'm pretty sure exists, but was unable to find, is the "Association of Alumni Association Professionals," the trade group for alumni associations.  It may be lurking out there, but it is not obvious.

On the positive side, I have had multiple experiences of wandering around some place in uniform and had members of the public come up to me and start gushing about their time as a cadet in the 50's and 60's.  And seeking some way to re-engage.  So I am fairly confident that there is a market out there of former cadets who would like to re-engage and provide some support.  But whether that is large enough to sustain a formal organization is a question I have been unable to answer.

At least yet.

[Eclipse]

The one thing I'm pretty sure exists, but was unable to find, is the "Association of Alumni Association Professionals," the trade group for alumni associations.  It may be lurking out there, but it is not obvious.

http://cammp.org/

http://www.absap.org/

https://engagealumni.com/tag/alumni-relations-best-practices/

https://www.pcuad.org/

[Ned]

Thank you, sir.  That really helps.

[RNOfficer]

Do "alumni" even really exist in the way being discussed here?

There is no "graduation" from CAP, since there's no top-end to the age of participation,
therefore, anyone who wants to remain affiliated with the organization as a full member
(even if they never show) can do so indefinitely at the tolerance level of the CC they are
assigned to, unlike a school, where if you aren't registered, you can't hang around, thus alumni groups.

Interesting question.  I was unable to find any other youth groups, for example, with a significant alumni association.  The Scouts, apparently have some smaller organizations (former Eagles, OA types etc.) that more closely resemble our Spaatz association.  But even without a formal "BSA Alumni Association," they get good results in terms of money and influence from former Scouts.

The academic alumni association is the most familiar model, and even those vary widely.  Small, public schools have alumni associations that struggle.  Large elite universities can have significant associations.  The service academies have vibrant associations.  I met with the folks from the AF Academy association as part of my research.

I was able to find some high school alumni associations, but they tend to struggle even more than collegiate associations.

The one thing I'm pretty sure exists, but was unable to find, is the "Association of Alumni Association Professionals," the trade group for alumni associations.  It may be lurking out there, but it is not obvious.

On the positive side, I have had multiple experiences of wandering around some place in uniform and had members of the public come up to me and start gushing about their time as a cadet in the 50's and 60's.  And seeking some way to re-engage.  So I am fairly confident that there is a market out there of former cadets who would like to re-engage and provide some support.  But whether that is large enough to sustain a formal organization is a question I have been unable to answer.

At least yet.

It's interesting to note that the very widely used US News and World Report college rankings use the proportion of alumni donating as a surrogate for student satisfaction in compiling their rankings.Note, it is not the amount donated that is measured but the proportion of alumni that donate., so the differences in wealth between the alumni of various colleges is not much of a factor. Using a surrogate like this is common in research when data on the actual concept under study is not available.
-
Of course no surrogate is a perfect measure - how effective the alumni association and "development" office are factors that would also influence the giving rate. But this surrogate is better than no measure of student satisfaction at all. The proportion of alumni donating varies from over 60% at a few colleges

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2015/10/20/10-universities-where-the-most-alumni-donate

to the single digits at many others.

I inserted a poll, "Do you donate money to the "CAP Foundation" or plan to make a bequest to it in your will?" to attempt to indirectly measure satisfaction with CAP, but there are too few responses for any meaningful conclusions. Although 323 users viewed the poll, only 21 participated.

[Alaric]

I'm afraid you misunderstand. The  yearly one-quarter dropout rate includes ALL MEMBERS that do not renew. not just those completing their first and final year.  Personally the majority of folks I know who quit put in several or even many years before they decided that they had had enough.

I would propose that those who left the organization because "they decided that they had had enough" are unlikely to give their money to said organization.  Perhaps we would be better served using internal resources on trying to keep current members engaged and interested rather then seeking out former members to cajole them for money.  After all, these former members know that we exist, if they want to give CAP money, they can find us.

[Eclipse]

+1

Also, What's the money supposed to be "for"?

[FW]

I'm afraid you misunderstand. The  yearly one-quarter dropout rate includes ALL MEMBERS that do not renew. not just those completing their first and final year.  Personally the majority of folks I know who quit put in several or even many years before they decided that they had had enough.

I would propose that those who left the organization because "they decided that they had had enough" are unlikely to give their money to said organization.  Perhaps we would be better served using internal resources on trying to keep current members engaged and interested rather then seeking out former members to cajole them for money.  After all, these former members know that we exist, if they want to give CAP money, they can find us.

Yep...

There are a (very) few former members who have looked back at CAP in a good light, and will be happy to donate to the Foundation, however I think it is not a reason to have an Alumni Association.  It would be more appropriate to develop continuing contributors who believe in what CAP does, and wish to expand our "reach"; whether former member, current member, or interested individual or corporation. 

[Eclipse]

or interested individual or corporation.

This is probably the most fertile area - being thanked by those CAP serves.

It needs to get back to doing that better, and then hold out the basket.