June 2018 Member Spotlight

Name:   Skye Alexander
Institution: The Trust for Public Land
Position: Donor Stewardship Coordinator
ADRP member for 1 year

How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?

I’ve worked in this field for a year and a half. I was working at The Trust for Public Land in an admin support role and saw a job posting with the word “writer” in it. 

Could you tell us something about the organization you work for?

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. We partner with local communities to protect public lands, build city parks, playgrounds, and gardens and transform existing ones, and work with state and local governments to generate new public funds for parks and conservation.

What do you like most about being a member of the ADRP? 

The sense of a broader community. My team is about two and a half years old and there are only three of us. It’s so encouraging just to know we’re not alone in the wide world of fact-checking gala receipts or selecting the most flattering photo of a donor to send her after a park opening.

What is your greatest donor relations/stewardship achievement? 

A philanthropy director recently commented that something I wrote was “the best non-wonky description of the impacts of our Climate-Smart Cities work that I have seen to date.” I’m sure I borrowed that language from someone else, but it was still nice to hear.

What is the most important professional goal you are currently pursuing, i.e., attaining a degree, preparing to give a presentation, launching an initiative at work or in your community, etc.?

It’s not glamorous, but I’m learning new software so I can contribute more to the reports and social media elements that are a growing part of my team’s work.

How big a role does the use of social media play in your work? 

It’s getting bigger all the time. I’m working on a report for a very social media-conscious funder right now. Our social media manager ran a weeklong campaign in early January (time of fitness resolutions!) about the outdoor gym they funded. We used metrics, photos, and quotes from the campaign in the report. I predict we’ll be doing much more of that.

Is there a resource, i.e., book, blog, website, etc., that you would recommend to other ADRP members? 

This story from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy was inspiring: “From Outrage to Action: How Philanthropy Can Support the Resistance.”

Iimay Ho, Executive Director of Resource Generation, is quoted: “Philanthropy needs to firmly, vocally plant itself on the side of social justice. Funders and donors cannot distance themselves from or reduce support even if it becomes unpopular or even dangerous to speak out for social justice. Philanthropy needs to demonstrate that it will not abandon those who bear the brunt of racism, sexism, Islamophobia, homophobia, economic inequality and more.”  

I dove deeper and learned about Resource Generation’s campaign to deploy more than $1 million in just nine months to support black-led organizing for black liberation after the death of Michael Brown. It was a reminder that we can all put our resources toward the change we want to see in the world—including those of us who give in the form of labor when we can’t necessarily donate a lot of money.

What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?

I was a voice major, so I spent college doing opera productions. A more seasoned singer told me, “No matter what insane choice the director makes, trust your instincts about the character. You’re the one the audience is going to judge, because it’s your butt up there on the stage.” I’ve worked for at least eight different nonprofits, and that advice still helps me bring the focus back to the mission when a simple solution feels out of reach—or when there are a few too many “strong leaders” in the room.

Are there any particular stories, insights, etc., from your experiences in donor relations and stewardship that you would like to share with our colleagues?

I surveyed a handful of donors about a mailing last year. Everyone who answered the phone gave me a piece of their mind. They weren’t interested in the mailing—many of them didn’t even remember it—but they were on fire about public lands. We’re a national organization, and these members told me stories about raising money for The 606 (a park we built in Chicago), what they did to save the Sierras from development, and the frustrations of community organizing for a new park in New York. Some of them had been with The Trust for Public Land since our start in 1972. I honestly felt the phrase I copy and paste into thank-you letters all day long: I was inspired by their commitment and enthusiasm.

If you would be interested in being featured in this column or have someone you would like to suggest, please contact Dianne Dyslin, Member Spotlight editor.