How Lafayette College Grew Donors 51%

About Lafayette College

Founded in 1826, Lafayette College is a private undergraduate liberal arts and engineering institution in Easton, Pennsylvania. With approximately 2,700 students and more than 50 areas of study, Lafayette blends rigorous academics with close faculty mentorship, hands-on research, and a strong sense of community.

The challenge: Growing participation without becoming transactional

Each fall, the Lafayette community rallies around Bring the Roar — a six-day giving challenge.

The energy is high. The tradition is strong. Participation has always mattered.

But the advancement team saw an opportunity.

While Bring the Roar consistently generated excitement, growth in donor participation had begun to plateau. Previous campaigns relied on traditional incentive models — branded items tied to gift size and dollar-based thresholds. The approach worked tactically, but strategically, it felt misaligned.

The team wanted to:

• Expand the donor base
• Empower supporters to advocate for the College
• Preserve the relational spirit of the campaign
• Reduce operational complexity
• Build participation that compounds year over year

They didn’t want a louder campaign. They wanted a more scalable one.

The solution: A participation-first ambassador model

Rather than overhaul the entire campaign, Lafayette introduced a simple shift: Me+3.

The idea was straightforward. Each ambassador would be encouraged to invite three others to make a gift.

Three classmates.
Three friends.
Three fellow parents.

The campaign continued to value and appreciate gifts of all sizes no matter how much someone gave; but it also celebrated how donors showed up for the community.

Reframing incentives around gratitude

Under Me+3, ambassadors who inspired three gifts received branded socks, a simple thank-you for strengthening the Lafayette network, not a transactional reward. The tone of the campaign shifted immediately. Participation expanded. Peer-to-peer advocacy became a multiplier.

Scaling the strategy with Advance

To ensure the ambassador model could scale without adding administrative burden, Lafayette used Advance by Gravyty as the operational backbone of Bring the Roar.

With Advance, the team was able to:

• Generate unique, trackable ambassador referral links
• Automatically attribute gifts
• Display real-time leaderboards
• Eliminate manual tracking and spreadsheet reconciliation
• Streamline the giving experience
• Enable digital wallets for frictionless participation

Instead of managing data, the team focused on momentum — encouraging ambassadors, refining messaging, and sustaining energy throughout the six-day challenge.

The outcome: Ambassador momentum, measurable growth

The Me+3 model drove participation and fueled broader donor base growth. 

• 293 ambassador sign-ups
• 109 ambassadors drove three or more gifts
• 90 ambassadors drove four or more gifts
• 1,306 gifts generated through ambassador links
• 1,294 donors acquired
• $136,792.22 raised via ambassadors
  

The ambassador program didn’t just supplement the campaign. It further bolstered it.

But the broader impact is even more significant.

Over two years, Lafayette grew its total donor count by 51%, from 2,923 to 4,381 donors.

Growth spanned alumni, young alumni, and parents — strengthening key constituencies and expanding the College’s long-term fundraising foundation.

Participation wasn’t just rising. It was compounding.

Why it matters: Participation as a growth engine

For institutions focused on long-term sustainability, expanding the donor base strengthens the major gift pipeline, engages volunteers, fuels peer-to-peer advocacy, and primes campaigns for success.

By empowering supporters to invite others, and removing the friction that often limits ambassador programs, Lafayette transformed Bring the Roar from a moment into a growth engine.

By automating referral tracking, simplifying giving, and surfacing real-time participation data, Lafayette’s team executed their vision without operational drag.

Solution spotlight

Gravyty is the AI-powered engagement platform purpose-built for higher education, K-12 schools, and nonprofits. From first engagement to first gift, Gravyty empowers institutions to deliver smarter, faster, and more personalized engagement at every step of the student and donor journey. With solutions for 24/7 student support, alumni engagement, fundraising and stewardship, Gravyty helps teams scale their impact, break down silos, and provide always-on support without burning out staff.

Advance from Gravyty empowers institutions like Lafayette College to optimize donor engagement through data-driven insights, automation, and personalized outreach. By integrating with existing systems, Advance helps advancement teams work smarter, not harder — maximizing results even with limited resources.