November 2017 Member Spotlight

Name: Marci Generose
Institution: The Franklin Institute
Position: Director of Donor Relations
ADRP member for 2 years

How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?  
I’ve worked in donor relations/stewardship for the past 12 years, but I’ve worked in fundraising since 1998 and have had some responsibility for donor relations/stewardship throughout most of that time. I got started in this field after working part-time at Penn State’s Lion Line, which is their fundraising call center. My name is still listed as one of the top student callers to this day! As far as my current role, it’s been evolving since 2005. I never considered donor relations as a career path—I always saw myself as a fundraiser—but as The Franklin Institute’s fundraising program evolves, I find the work incredibly fulfilling.

Could you tell us something about the organization you work for?
The Franklin Institute is a vibrant 21st-century organization that continues to offer new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would both amaze and delight its namesake Benjamin Franklin. The Institute has become a dynamic agent of change through its rich array of internationally recognized exhibitions and programs, lectures and discussions themed to illuminate issues in contemporary science, community outreach initiatives particularly targeted to girls and urban youth, and its series of innovative partnerships in public education. The Franklin Institute's universal appeal is reflected in the diversity of its audience—from world famous working scientists to involved citizens of any age; from elementary school through university level students; from inner city to suburban families. All are drawn here by a common interest in science and technology.

What do you like most about being a member of the ADRP?
I joined at the same time I registered for the annual conference in Memphis, which was an amazing experience. So many of the attendees at the conference were from organizations that think about donor relations and stewardship differently than a science museum does. Having the opportunity to learn more from them through the presentations, Q&As, and brainstorming over meals and breaks really gave me great inspiration. I also appreciate the breadth and depth of webinar content and have been able to share so much of that with colleagues.

What is your greatest donor relations/stewardship achievement?
It’s tough to pick just one because my projects vary so greatly. Three came to mind immediately. First would be leading an internal committee that planned a weekend of activities for the grand opening of a major building addition—the 53,000 square foot Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion. A more granular achievement that impacted our day-to-day donor communications was launching our donor newsflashes. So much of what we communicated to donors through email focused on appeals or event invitations. The Newsflash is a way to share our mission in action and say thank you. An inspirational project was revamping our onsite donor recognition. We’re now able to recognize annual donors through a digital show in our Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, where every visitor and event attendee will see it. Part of that project also involved leading the charge to create creative campaign donor recognition (ultimately using the scientific concept of a fractal as a design theme) and a themed cumulative donor recognition installation so we can continue to recognize previous campaign supporters and other significant major donors. To this day, if I see a donor taking a photo of it or we get to add a new piece to the cumulative donor installation, I’m so proud of what we were able to create.

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.?
I’m currently working on expanding our donor relations team to take our work to the “next level.”

How big a role does the use of social media play in your work?
Social media plays such a big role in our personal lives and communities today, including at The Franklin Institute, but honestly, I haven’t quite yet figured out how to integrate it into my work.

Is there a resource, i.e., book, blog, website, etc., that you would recommend to other ADRP members?
ADRP is my greatest resource, but I also think that Dispatches from the Future of Museums is a great resource to broaden knowledge of the museum field.

What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?
A former supervisor and ultimately vice president of my department asked me what I would be doing if I could write my own ticket in the world of development. Whatever my answer was didn’t satisfy her and she challenged me to think bigger and be more confident in my skills and talents. It was a conversation that led me into donor relations and stewardship, although I didn’t know it at the time. Looking back on it, when I took on this new focus, I felt like I was finally doing what I was intended to do and was able to embrace more of a leadership role on our team. 

Are there any particular stories, insights, etc., from your experiences in donor relations and stewardship that you would like to share with our colleagues? 
There isn’t a project or assignment that is impossible. It may feel that way upon first hearing about it, but we’re all in our roles because we’re talented and creative and curious.