University Development and Alumni Relations

About

Advancement Information Services (AIS) is responsible for the development and oversight of the primary technology solutions and data that support UC Berkeley's advancement -- fundraising and alumni and constituent relations -- success. AIS works to match UC Berkeley’s singular strength in fundraising with corresponding excellence in enabling technology and data. 

AIS consists of three units – Strategic Planning and Management, Data and Business Solutions, and Technology Services. The primary function is to enable the division's technology and data strategy, ensuring that it aligns with UDAR’s Journey Map, and continuously reflects business needs and available resources, in accordance with Technology and Data Governance oversight.

The Technology and Data Governance structure is designed to improve the transparency, quality, coordination, and timeliness of decision-making regarding technology investments to ensure strategic and optimal use.

Technology and Data Governance Charters:

Technology Services

Technology Services (TS) provides systems administration and programming to the campus’s advancement team of more than 1000 users and desktop support to UDAR’s team of nearly 300 staff. TS administers the Cal Advancement Data System (CADS), UC Berkeley’s eco-system of record for constituent biographic and institutional giving data. TS has records on nearly 2 million individuals and organizations, as well as more than 30 integrated applications that support the campus’ advancement efforts and the transmission of financial data to the campus’s general ledger.

Data and Business Solutions

Data and Business Solutions (DBS) comprises two teams, Data Management and Solutions Management, that provide comprehensive and holistic services to the UC Berkeley Advancement Community. Our focus is on serving our stakeholders’ needs that are scalable to the entire organization and maximizing the benefits of our tools and services. Our team’s current focus: 

• Data Management (DM) is the office of record for data, including philanthropic gift data, related to all of UC Berkeley’s external constituents, including alumni, donors, parents, and friends. It also manages select student data and faculty data under agreement with the relevant campus offices. DM is responsible for data acquisition, data governance, and proper stewardship of the campus’s advancement data, as well as provisioning access to CADS for the advancement community
• Solutions Management (SM) is the team responsible for project management execution, business analysis, and ongoing solutions support/process improvement serving stakeholders across campus. Our focus is on providing solutions leveraging existing tools, applications, and processes to benefit the organization as a whole. Our team of seasoned business analysts and project managers take on small and large projects, from data integrations to the implementation of new tools and services

Strategic Planning and Management

Strategic Planning and Management (SPM) develops and maintains the framework for translating UDAR’s strategic initiatives and priorities requiring technical enablement into formal requests from intake through project initiation. SPM’s technical portfolio management function provides transparency and clarity of UDAR’s project inventory. The Project Management Office function develops and maintains the process framework and artifacts used by UDAR for technology and data project requests. SPM is also the working group responsible for supporting UDAR’s Technology and Data Governance, enabling informed decision-making and prioritization for our technology and data investments.

What We Do

• Enhance digital engagement by collaborating across teams with a focus on Journey Map alignment in support of priority initiatives to realize transformation, connection, and communication campuswide
• Accelerate fundraising campaign success and pipeline development by building on our strong foundation of enterprise advancement information delivery and constituent data management
• Partner with our Advancement Operations functions to ensure compliance, timely gift processing, financial integrity, and enhanced donor relations
• Collaborate in the planning and delivery of technology and data solutions with UDAR’s Information Strategy and Analytics and External Relations and Marketing Communications, as well as UC Berkeley IT
• Consolidate data assets by integrating and standardizing information currently housed in separate locations and systems across UC Berkeley
• Deliver operational innovation to UDAR by applying a shared methodology to improve end-to-end business processes and everyday tasks
• Achieve excellence in technology management by implementing improvements to broaden the AIS team’s capacity, build management skills, and integrate shared priorities