Giving to your alma mater is one of the most popular philanthropic pathways for the average donor; far rarer in the charitable giving space is donating to another university with which you have no previous affiliation. Yet this is exactly what happened at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology over the last several months, during which we at the American Technion Society (the Technion’s U.S. fundraising arm) have seen a surge in planned giving commitments from brand new donors, many of whom have never engaged with the university previously.   

This uptick was not merely coincidence but a result of strategic outreach to the American Jewish community amid a perfect storm across the global economic, political and social spheres that has upended traditional donor motivations.  

In the wake of the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Israeli and Jewish communities globally (and at the Technion) were understandably shell-shocked. Amid fear, uncertainty and a swift change in donor focus toward emergency funding for victims and students, the American Technion Society (ATS) saw a dramatic slowing in planned giving for the following six months.  

In March 2024, however, this pattern drastically changed. Amid a spring marked by campus protests and surging antisemitism at American universities, ATS saw a significant increase in planned giving — not only from legacy donors, but from individuals lacking any prior engagement with our work or the university. Many of them are children of Holocaust survivors; some are Ivy League alumni disillusioned with their alma maters following their responses (or lack thereof) to campus protests. They have pulled back legacy gifts to American universities and gravitated to the Technion because of its vital work securing the future of Israel.   

These external global factors certainly motivated new donors to find ATS during this specific moment. It is clear to us that institutional legacy, name recognition and alumni loyalty are starting to crack as primary drivers of philanthropic investment and activity; at the very least, they do not hold the same weight in donor motivation as they did even two years ago.  

To encourage those donors to take the final step and name ATS in their estate plans, we knew that we had to connect with them through consistent strategic messaging and deliberate visibility measures. Our proactive approach allowed us to meet this moment of change and effectively bring new members into our community at a time when philanthropic support has never been more vital for Jewish and Israel-focused organizations. For us, it also has reinforced several key, evergreen principles of effective donor outreach that refine our ability to connect with our community, especially in pivotal moments like this one.

1.) Clear messaging is vital

Clear, consistent messaging about the Technion — especially its impact on technology, science and medicine for the future strength of Israel and global good — makes vetting an addition to an estate plan simple. For example, elevating media stories and leveraging advertising that illustrate the global impact of Technion innovation eliminates the guesswork for donors about how their contributions will be used. 

For example, ATS implemented an online ad campaign that asked “What if?” What if we had a solution to some of the world’s most pressing challenges? Upon clicking on the ad, users were directed to a brief lookbook that outlined respective solutions discovered by the Technion, making clear the university’s worldwide impact that their donation would support.   

Donors should be able to confirm that their values align with those of an institution easily, reducing or even eliminating the uncertainty around making a substantial donation to a university that they may not have visited or even been familiar with until recently. Simplicity is key for potential new donors who face a vast landscape of charitable causes to include in their estate plans.  

2.) Focus on the long term

Planned giving is an essential segment for all philanthropies, especially in times of uncertainty. Emphasizing generational impact and legacy provides donors with an opportunity not only to ease their anxieties about the future their children and grandchildren will face, but to shape that future proactively. The Technion is instrumental in defining what the world will look like in health, medicine, engineering, energy and more. In our communications with current and prospective donors, we’re intentional in our focus on the long-term impact of investing in an institution dedicated to training the future leaders in technology, medicine and science.  

3.) Be agile

While the spike in planned giving commitments from new donors was unexpected initially, we quickly adapted our marketing efforts to target additional like-minded people and extend the impact of this surge. Campus protests receive minimal media attention now compared to the spring of 2024, but our momentum has not slowed, thanks to strategic adjustments in our outreach. For instance, ATS doubled the number of estate planning events we held for donors and expanded advertising into publications we have not previously engaged with in order to maintain this competitive edge.  

The fact that ATS has received an increase in planned giving commitments over the last year during a period of economic uncertainty is remarkable — even more so for a university halfway across the world from donors who have no previous relationship with our organization. By adapting a thoughtful and proactive strategy during this unprecedented moment in Jewish history, we’re seeing some new donors name the Technion as the only academic institution in their estate plans, a rare occurrence in the fundraising space. This new era of fundraising for the Technion goes beyond coincidence and convenient timing: It aligns with a shifting donor landscape in which values and impact supersede prior giving or institutional loyalty.   

Institutions of higher education must be clear about their message, drive home their role in the current global moment and focus on simplicity. Otherwise, they will miss a generational opportunity to cement their legacy in academia and the world.  

Michael Waxman-Lenz is the chief executive officer of the American Technion Society.