2026 National Alumni Survey results are here!
The NAS is an annual opportunity for institutions to participate in a large-scale study of alumni engagement and philanthropy, allowing insights into their own communities and benchmarking against national results.
The NAS is a collaborative study made possible by CMAC, ParisLeaf, and Washburn McGoldrick.
From the foreword of the 2026 National Alumni Survey, our co-founder Howard Heevner writes, "An old parable in fundraising says: To get someone's opinion, ask for money—and to get money, ask for their opinion. For much of my career, higher education embraced only the first half of that wisdom for the greater population. We became adept at asking for money and interpreting the response as feedback. Participation rates rose or fell, channels performed or didn't, and we treated outcomes as evidence that we understood what alumni thought and felt. But transactional response is not opinion, and optimization is not listening. We have mistaken performance metrics for understanding—and missed what alumni were telling us about trust and the kind of relationship they wanted."
This survey is an exercise in deep listening.
About NAS
The National Alumni Survey (NAS) is a nationwide initiative focused on understanding alumni experiences and philanthropy. Now in its third year, NAS is the largest research study of its kind, with more than 155,000 responses collected since its inception.
The survey invites alumni to share more about their volunteer and giving activity, their levels of connection and satisfaction with their alma mater, what they are passionate about, and what is most likely to inspire their engagement.
This year, we were privileged to collaborate with thirty-one colleges and universities, along with our presenting partners at Washburn McGoldrick, Chris Marshall Advancement Consulting (CMAC), and Parisleaf. We are deeply grateful for their expertise and partnership, and for our sponsors, whose support made it possible for institutions to participate in the base survey at no cost.
Why does NAS matter to the
industry and our alumni?
Bonnie Devlin (Washburn McGoldrick): NAS provides a clear pathway for colleges and universities to know their alumni better. Instead of staying mired in collective wringing of hands over the decline in alumni giving, institutions can use the NAS insights to build deeper, more authentic and meaningful relationships with their graduates. We encourage advancement leaders to use the NAS report to educate campus leaders and governing boards about these important findings and the implications for their schools. Given the intense political and economic pressures on higher education, institutions who can adapt their alumni programs will reap greater advocacy, connectedness, and financial support.Â
Chris Marshall (CMAC): NAS brings clarity and credibility to alumni engagement by providing a common framework for measuring impact. More importantly, it signals to alumni that their relationship with the institution—and their voice—truly matters.
Chad Paris (Parisleaf): ): NAS helps bridge a widening gap between institutions and their alumni. Listening at this scale teaches us how to rebuild trust and inspire generosity across every generation. It also demonstrates how the next wave of donors responds to story, meaning, and purpose, which has tremendous implications for the entire nonprofit field. That is why I'm proud that Parisleaf supports this work–it helps shape the future of philanthropy and strengthens the relationships that make it possible.
New Insights and Familiar
Trends Emerge in the 2026
 NAS Alumni Report
With more than 82,000 alumni voices represented this year, and greater diversity among those participating, there was no shortage of feedback upon which to draw. Analysis of the responses reinforce several familiar trends, while bringing to light new and more pronounced findings. Nine key takeaways are highlighted in the 2026 NAS report.
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
The full NAS report is available at no cost and without registration. We encourage you to share the findings with your colleagues!
View the Full ReportSURVEY INSIGHTS
Alumni Feel Good About the Product—Less So About the Relationship
Alumni Are Generous, Just Not Necessarily to Their Alma Mater
Connection and Information are Among the Strongest Predictors of Giving
Giving Behaviors Differ Across Generations
Recognition and Impact Transparency are Structural Weak Points
Alumni Want Clear, Meaningful Opportunities — Not Generic Appeals
Student Debt Matters, But It’s
Not the Whole Story
Volunteering Signals Engagement
and Giving Potential
Alumni Don’t Feel “Known”
by Their Alma Mater
BRONZE SPONSORS
The Experts Behind the Data
The National Alumni Survey is a collaborative effort led by professionals with decades of experience in higher education advancement and data analytics.
.......
Howard Heevner
With nearly 30 years of higher education fundraising experience, Howard is the current executive director of annual programs at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a frequent speaker about the changing demographics of our donor populations and the co-founder of the National Alumni Survey.
Sarah KleebergerÂ
With 25 years focused on philanthropy, Sarah delivers consulting and analytics services at RNL, with a commitment to providing actionable data and insights to clients. Sarah is a co-founder of the National Alumni Survey.
Chris MarshallÂ
A senior higher education advancement professional with over two decades of alumni engagement and fundraising experience, Chris spent twelve years leading alumni relations at Lehigh and Cornell.
Steven J. Devlin, Ph.D.
Specializing in national surveys and program evaluation, Dr. Devlin has developed and analyzed over 500 surveys and conducted data analyses for over 100 clients.
Dan LowmanÂ
An internationally known expert in fundraising analytics, Dan has spent 25 years working in the field, founded SurveyLab in 2016, and leads the national Advancement Moving Forward industry survey.
Sign up to learn more about how your institution can be part of next year’s survey:
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At CMAC, we believe advancement—when grounded in values and driven by vision—can do more than raise funds; it can transform the future of higher education.
