In Service: The Column of the ADRP President
Jen McGrath
Senior Director, Donor Relations & Stewardship
MIT Resource Development
I love working in the summer. Don't get me wrong, as I head into the office, I have no small amount of envy as my seven- and four-year-old daughters get ready for their care-free days of crafts, swimming, ziplining, tie-dying, and cookouts.
As a family, we squeezed in about five days of time away together in between several overdue home-improvement projects (don't be jealous of my new basement bulkhead). And, yet, somehow, I feel unexpectedly refreshed, reinvigorated, and raring to go with big ideas and a bold vision for the year ahead.
As I try to trace the source of this inspiration, I'm reminded of what I shared with you in this space in March. And I'm discovering that what I love about working in the summer is that other people are on vacation.
Please know that I enjoy my colleagues immensely, but with them gone I have fewer meetings and more time to think and then do. And the more I think and do, the more I want to think and do. As I began tackling the small stuff, I gained momentum to take on the bigger picture stuff—goal-setting, capacity-building, and strategic planning.
I saw this in my own home too, as we wrestled back some semblance of order after two separate projects had us moving the contents of our home into a pod parked in our driveway. We sold and gave away furniture and baby toys, cleared away clutter and rediscovered the joy of our own space. Suddenly what felt like chaos gave way to tidiness and a vision for repurposing (and redecorating).
So, no matter how you hit "refresh," here's hoping that summer brought you some time for yourself, a change in perspective, renewed energy, and a vision and capacity for what's next — along with some fun!
And here's a little bit of both from ADRP:
- As a member of our association, you're entitled to an understanding of the health and vitality of ADRP and the work that your board of directors has done to advance our services to you and to our profession. In past years, we've delivered the updates via our Annual International Conference, usually over the lunch hour.
This year, we're trying something new and offering a review of this year's accomplishments and preview of what's to come via a webinar on September 20. This change will not only enable access beyond just those who attend the conference, but also allow for more of the informal networking (just talking to each other) that we all love about our time together in person.
Please keep an eye out for the registration information from the ADRP Office, and save the date for September 20 at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT.
- Here’s a fun activity to get us all back in the practice of using Twitter, in anticipation of sharing from #ADRP2019, and to include those of you who won't be with us in Miami. We invite you to tweet a picture of your pet—current, past, or even aspirational (rocks and plants also count). Be sure to include @ADRPTweets in your message and use the hashtag #ADRPets.
How are you thinking about recognition at your organization? What evolution have you seen in the course of your career? As always, I'd love to hear from you directly on LinkedIn and @JenNesbit. Please also engage with ADRP on Facebook, LinkedIn and @ADRPtweets.
4 Things I've Learned About Working in Donor Relations
Michelle Greenspoon
Associate Director, Donor Relations
Art Gallery of Ontario
I’ve worked in donor relations for over a decade. I’ve had the good fortune to work with international development, as well as healthcare- and education-focused nonprofits, and now I’ve found my new home in the arts, with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto.
I was both excited and nervous to come to the AGO, an established institution with an incredible reputation. What if everything I knew didn’t matter? What if everything was completely different? How could I possibly contribute to this massive mission to bring people together with art to see, experience and understand the world in new ways? What if I didn't know enough about art?
Member Spotlight
Andrew Graves
Donor Retention and Stewardship Manager
University of Technology, Syndey
ADRP member for four years
How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?
It’s actually been about 13 years now (how time flies!), the last six at University of Technology Sydney (UTS). It all started when an aptitude was spotted by a former boss who asked me to go back to work at his organisation. He was proposing a role I had not thought of as “for me,” but it turned out that he was right.
2019 ADRP International Conference
Registration Closes in Less than Two Weeks!
Hurry and register for #ADRP2019 before registration closes on September 4! Join your peers in Miami, Florida, to attend insightful sessions and compelling workshops while experts in the profession answer your burning questions.
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more.
Registration closes September 4!
Latest from the Conference Blog
Be sure to check out our official conference blog for the latest updates and testimonials from past conference attendees about how the International Conference has impacted their lives and careers.
ADRP Midwest Regional Forum Recap and Highlights
On July 25, 2019, the Association of Donor Relations Professionals held its Midwest Regional Forum on the beautiful Evanston, Illinois, campus of Northwestern University. This special day was filled with networking, story sharing and informative presentations.
2020 Webinar Series Request for Proposals
The ADRP Webinar Series brings ideas and insights directly to your own offices and conference rooms. Presented by practitioners and consultants from a variety of backgrounds, this series offers education on many aspects of donor relations, from staffing and strategy to events and reporting. Free for members, ADRP webinars provide high-value content for every level of donor relations and stewardship professionals. Stay current on industry trends and invite your colleagues to learn alongside you.
Do you have lessons, skills, and/or best practices to share? New ideas on how to steward your donors, quantify your team's impact, or build diversity and inclusion into the donor relations profession?
Write for The Hub: We Want to Hear from You!
The Hub is seeking article proposals for new monthly issues!
Do you have a success story you would like to share? How did you handle a particular problem or project that seemed insurmountable? Have you discovered effective tactics that help gain a seat at the table? What are your thoughts on best practices or new, emerging ideas that take a donor relations/stewardship program to the next level?
We want to encourage our members—new and experienced—to share their insights, best practices, and what works (or doesn’t work!) when planning their shop’s programming and responsibilities.
We welcome all submissions related to donor relations and stewardship, but we especially encourage ADRP members to step forward and share their expertise and experiences in the profession.
The submission form is available any time you have an article proposal to submit. We have included the webinar topics for each month, in case you would like to tie your article to a specific webinar topic.
Please submit your article proposal today! We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
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