A FREE, OPEN METHODOLOGY - APRIL 2026
The Net Known Score.
A single-question metric for measuring whether alumni feel known — and why it predicts their generosity.
WHY THIS METRIC NOW
Advancement measures what alumni do. It does not measure whether they feel known.
The 2026 National Alumni Survey — 82,000+ alumni across 31 institutions — put a number on the gap.
48% → 17%
The collapse from "very satisfied" as a student to "very satisfied" as an alum
A 31-point drop — without anyone noticing. The education product is strong. The alumni relationship is failing.
134×
The lifetime giving gap between known and invisible alumni
Alumni who feel their priorities are "extremely well known" average $500,774 in lifetime giving. Those who feel "not known at all" average $3,732.
65%
of alumni feel their institution doesn't know their career or life stage
74% feel not known on personal interests. 68% on philanthropic priorities. The single largest unmeasured liability in advancement today.
SOURCE — 2026 NATIONAL ALUMNI SURVEY · 82,252 RESPONDENTS · 31 INSTITUTIONS
THE NKS QUESTION
"On a scale of 0–10, how well does your alma mater know what matters to you right now?"
One question. Open methodology. Calculated like NPS.
THE FORMULA
How the score is calculated.
Responses fall into three categories. The Net Known Score is the percentage who feel Known, minus the percentage who feel Invisible.
INTERPRETATION SCALE
Where does your institution land?
Most institutions, measured today, would score between −40 and −60. This is the national baseline — and it explains why alumni generosity is flowing elsewhere.
HOW TO DEPLOY
Any institution can measure its NKS tomorrow.
No licensing. No cost. No external support required. The methodology is open — here are the six steps.
1. Add the question.
Include it in your annual alumni survey, post-event surveys, or a standalone pulse. Pair it with the open-ended follow-up: "What would help you feel more known?"
2. Collect responses.
500 responses provides a statistically reliable score. Most annual alumni surveys already reach this threshold.
3. Calculate the score.
Categorize responses into Known (9–10), Passive (7–8), and Invisible (0–6). Compute: NKS = % Known − % Invisible.
4. Segment.
Calculate by class year, decade, college, geography, and giving history. The segmented scores reveal where to focus.
5. Analyze the qualitative data.
Alumni will tell you what "being known" means to them. The responses bridge measurement and action.
6. Act and re-measure.
Design interventions based on what alumni told you. Re-measure annually. The NKS becomes most powerful as a longitudinal metric.
READ THE FULL RESEARCH
The complete methodology, in a 27-page white paper.
The white paper walks through the behavioral science, cross-sector evidence from healthcare and financial services, the NAS data, the NPS precedent, and how to deploy NKS at your institution. Free to read. Free to cite. Free to use.
Open methodology No sign-up to download 27 pages
The Net Known Score™ was developed by Erin Essak Kopp, founder of Spark Plug, drawing on twenty years in university advancement and three years of National Alumni Survey data. The methodology is open for any institution to use. Contact: erin@sparkplugllc.co