Alumni management software gives an alumni office or association one home for its directory, events, mentoring and giving. Start with who runs your alumni work and what they spend most time on, then check how the system separates directory fields from other records before you import anything, since privacy rules on former students can trip you up.
Three questions will get you most of the way here, so I'll start with those and save the list for after.
Pick your route through these eight
Go down these in order and stop at the first one that sounds like you:
- Are you a college alumni office where reunions and homecomings are the big moments? Start with AlumnIQ, a smaller vendor that says it's built exclusively for higher education.
- Is mentoring and careers the point? Start with Alumnifire, a smaller vendor that keeps things simple on purpose, then look at the mid-sized PeopleGrove and Graduway (Gravyty), both of which bring in more around learning programmes or donors.
- Is giving what pays for all of this? Start with Almabase, a smaller vendor with a sync to Raiser's Edge NXT, then the mid-sized EverTrue, which is donor software first.
- Are you an alumni association rather than a school? Start with two mid-sized general tools: WildApricot for membership admin, and Hivebrite if the community and a branded app matter most.
You'll notice not all of these are alumni-only products. That's fine, as long as you go in knowing it and you check the directory, events, mentoring and giving parts you need are all there.
Alumni platforms, A to Z
These are in alphabetical order, in no particular order of merit.
Almabase
Best for: Teams on Raiser's Edge NXT running events, giving and engagement together; the vendor says data syncs automatically, and pitches it at teams leaving NetCommunity.
Alumnifire
Best for: Offices wanting core engagement and mentoring without clutter; the vendor says unnecessary features lead to confusion, not engagement.
AlumnIQ
Best for: Colleges running reunions and homecomings; the vendor says it's built exclusively for higher education, with rules-based registration, name tags, giving and a directory.
EverTrue
Best for: Fundraising teams bringing research, outreach and stewardship together; the vendor says signals such as event attendance and shared content show which quiet donors are warm.
Graduway (Gravyty)
Best for: Programmes combining alumni mentoring, career opportunities and community with donor engagement tools; the home page now carries the Gravyty name.
Hivebrite
Best for: Organisations wanting a member community under their own brand; the vendor describes a fully white-label mobile app with push notifications and direct messaging.
PeopleGrove
Best for: Higher education teams linking students, alumni and programmes through mentoring; the vendor also pitches programme oversight and accreditation reporting.
WildApricot
Best for: Alumni associations happy with a general membership tool; the vendor lists a member database, events, email, payments and a website. Not alumni-only.
My advice for a small alumni office
Buy for the person who'll be doing the work. If that's one member of staff and a few volunteers, a simpler system that they'll keep up to date will serve you far better than a big suite with half the screens left empty. A directory that's out of date stops being useful quickly, and it's the part your alumni will notice.
Then be honest about what you're running. If nearly everything you do is fundraising, look at donor management software too. If you're a member body that happens to be made up of former students, association management software may be a closer fit.
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How the eight compare
Here's the same list, side by side, so you can see what kind of product each one is.
| Tool | Kind of tool | Handy for |
|---|---|---|
| Almabase | Alumni engagement and giving | Events and giving synced to Raiser's Edge NXT |
| Alumnifire | Simple alumni platform | Core alumni management and mentoring |
| AlumnIQ | Higher-ed events and directory | Reunions, homecomings, giving and a directory |
| EverTrue | Donor management and fundraising | Spotting warm donors from engagement signals |
| Graduway (Gravyty) | Alumni engagement and mentoring | Careers, mentoring and community |
| Hivebrite | Community platform | A branded community with its own mobile app |
| PeopleGrove | Mentoring and experiential learning | Linking students, alumni and programmes |
| WildApricot | Membership management | Members, events, email, payments and a website |
Directory fields need their own fence
Buyers compare events and mentoring, and they tend to miss the privacy side. Former students' records sit in these systems, so it's worth knowing how your rules treat them.
In the US, the FERPA regulations, explained on the US Department of Education's student privacy site, say a school may disclose directory information about former students without the notice and opt-out conditions that apply to current students. Note what that covers: directory information. It's a reason to keep those fields apart from everything else, because the rest of a record isn't in that category. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules vary by place, so check with the regulator or a qualified adviser.
Ask each vendor to show you the answers to these on screen:
- Can each field be marked as directory information or not?
- Who can see which fields: staff, volunteers, other alumni?
- Can an individual hide their own details from the directory?
- Do giving and mentoring notes stay out of anything shared?
What to tidy before you import
Whichever system you choose, moving old records in is where most of the trouble starts, and it's far easier to sort out in a spreadsheet than afterwards. Before you import anything:
- Merge duplicates, including people who've changed their name since they left.
- Decide which columns count as directory fields, and label them in the file.
- Keep giving history and private notes in separate columns, so they can be mapped with care.
- Bring across any contact preferences people have already told you about.
- Import a small batch first, then log in as an ordinary alum and see what shows.
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Frequently asked questions
What does alumni management software do?
It gives you one place for your alumni directory, events, mentoring and giving, so the records aren't scattered across spreadsheets and separate tools.
Can a small alumni association use it?
Yes, although some products here are aimed at colleges and universities. A small association may be better served by a simpler system or a general membership tool, as long as it covers the directory and events.
Is alumni software the same as a donor CRM?
No. A donor CRM centres on fundraising, while alumni software usually adds a directory, events and mentoring. Some products here overlap, so check which side each one leads with.
Can a school share former students' directory information?
In the US, FERPA regulations treat directory information about former students differently from the same information about current students. Rules vary by place and this isn't legal advice, so check with your regulator or a qualified adviser.
Does an alumni platform need a mobile app?
Only if your alumni will use it. A branded app can help a community feel like its own space, but a directory and events calendar that work well on a phone may be enough for a small group.
What should I sort out before importing alumni records?
Merge duplicates, mark which fields count as directory information, separate giving history and notes, and carry over any contact preferences. Then import a small batch and check what an ordinary member can see.
