7A | Using Donor Feedback to Drive Change
Thursday, Oct 1
2:40 - 3:40 PM
Experience Level
Suitable for all levels
Shop Size
Suitable for any size shop
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Measuring the effectiveness of donor relations presents a challenge to many institutions. More work towards building stronger relationships with donors can always be done through creating a greater breadth and depth of touch points, but when questions arise on why a donor’s attachment may be waning or what a donor’s preferences are for engagement, the answers are often hard to find.
The University of California, Berkeley engaged Huron Consulting Group to conduct donor stewardship research in 2014, following the close of its campaign. This engagement included training UC Berkeley staff members to carry out conversations with donors to build upon the findings of the Huron study, which has enabled the Berkeley team to focus and refine its current stewardship efforts.
Huron and UC Berkeley will host a working session to share best practices and techniques for conducting donor research, specifically donor interviewing and donor focus groups. The strengths and limitations of qualitative research will be discussed in depth and married with the practical implications of launching a donor research initiative. Participants will walk away feeling armed to lead a donor research initiative that will produce results to inform strategic decision-making for stewardship.
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Alex Faklis
Alex is a Manager with Huron Consulting Group’s Higher Education Practice where she specializes in operational assessments, business process redesign, market research and strategic planning for many areas within higher education including University Advancement. She has partnered with several top-tier institutions to strengthen donor engagement through multi-phased engagements, often involving rigorous market research and the development of actionable implementation plans. Prior to her work in consulting, Alex worked in Donor Relations at Harvard Business School. Alex graduated with an undergraduate degree in English and graduate degree in Higher Education from Boston College. |
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Katy Galli-Kreps
Katy Galli-Kreps is the Director of Donor Recognition within Donor and Gift Services at the University of California, Berkeley. She oversees the campuswide donor recognition programs for annual, lifelong, and loyal giving, as well as the Chancellor’s and Vice Chancellor’s donor acknowledgement programs. Katy is leading UC Berkeley’s donor feedback project — the cross-campus team designing and conducting donor focus groups to gain insights into the donor experience at Berkeley and drive enhancements to donor engagement. Prior to joining UC Berkeley in 2008, Katy worked in the technology industry, managing employee stock programs for companies on both coasts, most recently in Boston.
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Jennifer Mack
Jennifer is a Senior Managing Researcher in Huron’s Higher Education practice. Her recent projects have centered on improving engagement with alumni and prospective students of universities and professional schools, as well as a 360-degree analysis of donor relations management at a top-tier university. She cut her teeth at Slover Linett Strategies, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Smith College and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She regularly presents at conferences hosted by CASE, AIR, and AIGAC.
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