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In Service:
The Column of the ADRP President
Kathleen Diemer, CFRE
Executive Director of Donor Relations and Advancement Communications
George Mason University
I have just returned from the first ADRP Board meeting of 2017. I always enjoy gathering with my fellow board members and working with them to advance our organization and our profession. In recent years, we have added an additional component to our in person board meetings - the opportunity to gather with local ADRP members for breakfast and conversation.
One of our recent breakfast attendees works for an organization that has seen a massive uptick in donors and gifts during the last few weeks. If you follow The Chronicle of Philanthropy, or any other industry publication, you already know that many non-profits, across a variety of sectors, have seen an influx of giving in response to proposed or potential changes to federal laws in the United States.
Much like it did a few years back during the Ice Bucket Challenge, the recent news of massive donor growth and increased giving always makes me hold my breath a bit. Why? The answer is simple - because I look at it from the viewpoint of a donor relations professional. Does the organization have a database capable of handling the uptick? Will the current staff be able to receipt and thank all of the new donors in a timely and accurate fashion? Have the donors adequately researched the organization and will they be satisfied with the end result of their giving? Or, did they give in a moment of passion and emotion and will that make it harder for the organization to retain them in the future? Will the organization be strategic in how it uses the gifts? During times of unexpected giving growth there are so many questions, and so many of them do not have ready answers.
At the end of the day I have to take a step back for a moment and remember that donors give because they want to create or maintain something good. And whether we work in healthcare, education, the arts, or organizations that protect the environment or the people who inhabit it, we have chosen our profession because we also want to create or maintain something good. Each of us goes to work every day with the mechanisms of donor relations at the forefront of our minds, but the truth of the matter is that we have all chosen to work for a cause - and hopefully one for which we have a great deal of passion.
No one knows what the future holds or how many more organizations will experience exponential increases in giving this year. For some of us 2017 may be status quo, for others it may be a wild ride. Through it all one thing is certain - when passionate and skilled fundraising professionals join forces with passionate and engaged donors great outcomes are sure to follow.
With gratitude,
Kathleen Diemer
[email protected]
President
Big Impact, Big Results
Sharon Alexander
Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations
College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Oklahoma
As a Donor Relations professional in a university setting, I don't always get to see the immediate results of donor stewardship. I strive to achieve the best practices, such as showing gratitude, impact and long-term results, but donor response is not always immediately quantitative.
Suit Up, an annual event begun just three years ago with JCPenney, is one of those quantitative exceptions that already is proving fruitful for both donor and student recipient. For one Sunday evening in August, just after the start of fall classes, the local JCPenney store gives students the opportunity to shop for professional attire at up to 70 percent off.
We also fundraise for scholarships in the form of gift cards which allow students to shop at no charge. Two years ago, gift cards totaling $6,000 went to 40 scholarship recipients, and 53 gift cards of more than $8,000 were awarded in 2016. The 2017 scholarship goal is 65 gift cards of more than $10,000.
[Read More]
Creating Impactful Donor Messages with Personalization
Brooke Grimes
Director of Marketing
AcademicWorks, Inc
According to Bloomberg News, 86% of all email traffic last year was spam. CBS News states that the average person sees between 3,000 to 5,000 advertisements a day. People are SO tired of hearing from companies and causes they don't care about. So what can you do to keep your donors from hitting the delete button when getting an email from you?
Personalization. Personalization is one of the hottest topics in marketing and communications this year. Personalization is the practice of providing unique and targeted messages to a small group, rather than blasting one message to the entire world, hoping it catches someone's attention. The art of personalization is going to be something donor relation's professionals can leverage to maintain quality relationships with current donors AND provide an impactful message for prospective donors. For the sake of this article, I am going to be focusing on how to use personalization with current donors to help build trust and create lasting relationships.
Personalization means that donors should feel that every email or letter they receive should feel like it was written specifically for them. This means that donors who designate funds to a project, fund, or specific student organization should receive updates specific to their donation. Many organizations make these practices standard for major donors who have contributed a large sum of money. This needs to be a practice with ALL donors, even those who give $10/month and graduated last year. These are your donors of the future and you want to keep them loyal to the work you are doing. So what can you do to make donors feel like you have spent the time to create a personalized message just for them?
[Read More]
Regional Updates
Our New York City Regional Conference is fast approaching on March 10th. Whether you want to join us as an attendee or a sponsor, we have a spot for you! Registration is filling up fast, don't miss your chance!
Learn more >>
Gather with us June 8th - 9th in Augusta, Georgia for our Southeast Donor Relations Conference. Speaker proposals are closing soon soon, be sure to submit before our February 17th deadline. We also have exhibit space available. Join us as an exhibitor or take advantage of one of our many sponsorship opportunities!
Learn more >>
Our Request for Proposals deadline has been extended for the 3rd Annual Canadian Regional Workshop. Presentation topics include, but are not limited to: planned giving stewardship, database management, and collaborations in a small and large shops. Submit before February 24th to be considered for this growing event!
Exhibit space will be available for this sell-out event. Don't miss out on connecting with attendees, learning new best practices, and coming together with your colleagues!
Learn more >>
Conference Corner
RFPs are now open for the 14th Annual International Conference! This year's theme, Bright Lights Big Opportunities, is an opportunity for us to explore our profession through a global lens. We welcome your ideas for discussion and presentations to complement our framework, and invite your expertise about topics that are ever-present in our profession. The application deadline is March 6, 2017, so be sure to submit soon!
[Read More]
Guest Articles for The Hub
(We Want Your News!)
One of the many benefits of being a member of ADRP is belonging to a community of professionals that shares knowledge and experiences. In an effort to better serve our members this year, we are working to bring you content each month that is helpful, relevant, and cohesive.
We are seeking article submissions from our members that cover any topic relevant to the profession, including those that may coincide with one of the monthly webinars.
Please share with us your best practices, experiences, successes, or challenges related to this topic so we can collectively learn and grow. Articles must be received the month prior to the scheduled publication month.
Member Spotlight
 Name: Alicia Rhymes
Institution: City of Hope National Medical Center
Position: Assistant Director, Donor Engagement and Communications
ADRP member for 7 months
How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?
I have had the distinct pleasure of working in stewardship for seven months. The opportunity to transition from coordinating special events to donor relations occurred after I learned of an opening in the department. I was excited about this potential career move, because it would enable me to return to a passion and fulfill my dream of making a living as a writer. It would also allow me to further develop my writing skills.
My special events background provided insight into how donors like to be acknowledged and I knew it would be useful in this new role.
[Meet Alicia]
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