Some folks toss the fundraising pitch from their alma mater; others reach for their checkbooks. The St. Paul�based
Reeher company aims to help colleges and universities determine which category you fit�before the direct mailers go out.
This task requires "predictive analytics" that crunch data collected about individuals to sort who is likely to donate, and why. "Traditionally, institutions would build that kind of system themselves, which is expensive and requires pretty specialized people," explains company founder Andy Reeher. "We can give them that functionality within a matter of weeks."
Reeher is further differentiated by the fact that its service is web-based, which eliminates any need for software installation and minimizes training.
Growth of the company has been rapid, fueled in part by lean budgets and diminishing funding sources at institutions of higher ed. A number of larger institutions, including Tulane and Johns Hopkins, have signed on for the service. Two weeks ago the company signed up McGill University, one of the oldest and largest institutions in Canada, and it just inked a deal with the University of Kentucky which Reeher says will be announced shortly.
"We're doing very well as a business right now," Reeher says. "With the economy in a tough situation, organizations are learning to use their resources more wisely." Reeher's service helps them do so--and save money while they're doing it.
Source, Andy Reeher, Reeher LLC
Writer: Joe Hart