Gargoyles and Recognition Policy

I was reminded of a recognition nightmare the other day and thought it a good time to revisit it, to examine again the lessons learned.  It’s a quick story, yet it is the kind of story that is so horrific that laughter, a really good belly laugh, is in order. And you’ve got to laugh to keep from crying for all the folks involved.

Does this picture remind you of the 2002 incident at Duke?

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Filed under Best Practices in Donor Recognition, Donor Recognition Programs, Recognition Environments, Stewardship, Think Before You Thank | Tags: Best Practices for Donor Recognition, Donor Recognition, Fundraising, Naming Opportunities, Stewardship, Think Before You Thank | Comment (0)

Emerging Trends in Donor Relations

This new decade heralds significant changes for Donor Relations and its influence on fundraising success.  We see that these emerging trends share a common theme:  to build better relationships with donors as a means of fostering greater giving.  As is the case with all relationships in our current crowded, information-saturated world, the emphasis will be on the quality, not the quantity, of donor interactions.
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Filed under Best Practices in Donor Recognition, Donor Communications, Donor Recognition Programs, Stewardship, Think Before You Thank | Tags: ADRP, Best Practices for Donor Recognition, Donor Recognition, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Philanthropy, Social Media, Stewardship, Successes, Think Before You Thank, Trends in Fundraising | Comment (0)

What Donors Look for on Your Website

Tuesday, 12/08/2009, I heard Penelope Burk speak at the Association of Donor Relations Professionals in Baltimore.  As always, she was charming AND informative, handing out jewels of information in a concise yet authoritative way.  Over the next few weeks I’ll surely be fanning ideas she sparked for me; for now, let me share this priceless insight on how donors use non-profits’ websites. Continue reading »

Filed under Anne Manner-McLarty, Donor Communications, Stewardship | Tags: ADRP, Communications, new media, online giving, Stewardship, Trends in Fundraising | Comments Off

Non-Traditional Donor Recognition Outlets

Monday I had the good fortune to participate in a session at the Association of Donor Relations Professionals annual conference in Baltimore.  I sat on a panel discussing “tricks from the experts”.  My portion of the presentation focused on ways to recognize donors beyond traditional plaques and printed lists.  Specifically, we considered avenues available to those who either have no physical space for traditional donor recognition or are interested in exploring new methods for engaging donors and potential donors alike. Continue reading »

Filed under Anne Manner-McLarty, Donor Communications, Donor Recognition Programs, Philanthropy, Social Media, Stewardship | Tags: ADRP, Communications, consultant, Donor Recognition, Facebook, Fundraising, Interactive Displays, new media, online giving, Philanthropy, Social Media, Trends in Fundraising | Comments Off