Donor Participation Project’s Post

Purdue’s Pod Structure: A Case Study in Centralization and Collaboration Purdue University revolutionized its fundraising operations by implementing a “pod” structure that centralized key functions while fostering collaboration. The pod model addressed issues of unbalanced resources, gaps in donor stewardship, and the need for stronger oversight of metrics across fundraising areas. Purdue assembled cross-functional teams, called pods, around each academic unit and area of focus. Each pod includes members from marketing, donor relations, prospect development, and development. The pods meet monthly to review metrics, discuss priorities, and develop customized strategies for donor engagement. This integrated approach makes it possible to target the right constituents with the right message at the right time. The pod structure also enabled Purdue to implement standard practices and oversight across the fundraising enterprise. Centralizing communications, for example, gave Purdue data on donor interests and engagement that fueled more personalized outreach. Standardized metrics, including donor participation rates, make donor progression and performance transparent across academic units. Quarterly business reviews, which pods and leadership attend, shine a light on what’s working and where new strategies or resources are needed. For other nonprofits seeking to enhance collaboration and boost fundraising effectiveness, Purdue’s pod model provides an innovative blueprint. Some key takeaways: - Assemble cross-functional teams around donors and priorities. Include representatives from all areas that touch donors and supporters. - Centralize data and communications to gain a 360-degree view of donors. Look for opportunities to personalize and customize outreach based on interests and engagement. - Implement standard metrics and reporting across the organization. Measure what matters for donor relationships and fundraising, not just dollars raised. Review reports together regularly. - Foster open communication within the teams and across leadership. The pod structure succeeds when teams meet often, voice challenges, and work jointly on solutions. - Be willing to reorganize and reassign resources as needed. Purdue shifted responsibilities across teams to play to people’s strengths and fill critical gaps. Not all changes will be right the first time. Review and revise. With comprehensive insight into donors, priorities, and performance, Purdue’s pod model is enabling the university to fulfill its vision for an integrated and donor-centered advancement program. By enhancing coordination across all areas impacting the donor experience, other nonprofits can achieve similar success.

With only 154 days until Giving Tuesday now is the perfect time for nonprofits to prepare for a successful end-of-year fundraising campaign. Here are tangible ways your nonprofit can leverage the summer months to ensure a prosperous Giving Tuesday and beyond: 1. Review and Analyze Past Performance   - Evaluate Last Year's Campaigns: Identify strengths and areas for improvement by analyzing donor data and campaign metrics.   - Set Clear Goals: Establish specific, measurable goals, such as increasing donor retention, acquiring new donors, or boosting average donations. 2. Strengthen Donor Relationships   - Personalized Outreach: Reach out to major donors and long-time supporters with personalized messages, expressing gratitude and sharing impact updates.   - Engage through Events: Host informal events like picnics or virtual meet-ups to build stronger connections with your donor community. 3. Enhance Your Online Presence   - Update Your Website: Ensure your website is user-friendly, mobile-optimized, and highlights recent achievements with clear calls to action.   - Leverage Social Media: Create a content calendar to build momentum, sharing compelling stories and interactive content to engage your audience. 4. Plan Your GivingTuesday Campaign   - Develop a Campaign Theme: Create a theme that resonates with your mission and target audience, and ensure it is reflected in all marketing materials.   - Prepare Marketing Materials: Design and draft campaign emails, social media posts, and direct mail pieces in advance for consistency and reduced stress. 5. Engage Your Board and Volunteers   - Board Involvement: Encourage board members to take an active role in fundraising by making personal asks, hosting events, or leveraging their networks.   - Volunteer Recruitment and Training: Recruit and train volunteers over the summer, providing clear guidelines and support. 6. Optimize Your Donor Database   - Clean and Segment Data: Ensure your donor database is up-to-date and segmented based on giving history and preferences for tailored outreach.   - Automate Processes: Invest in automation tools for email marketing, donation processing, and thank-you notes to save time and enhance donor experience. By taking proactive steps now, your nonprofit can build a solid foundation for a successful Giving Tuesday and end-of-year fundraising season. Refine your strategies, strengthen relationships, and prepare for an impactful campaign! --- I'm Marci Bradley, CFRE, a fundraising consultant and strategist. With a decade of experience and over $10M raised, I specialize in nonprofit operations, fund development, and event planning. Follow me for insights on fundraising and nonprofit strategies. Connect with me for consulting, training, or coaching. Save this post for future reference by clicking the three dots on the top right!

Scrappy Innovations for Nonprofits: Doing More With Less Nonprofits often struggle with limited resources and funding, making it difficult to invest in new technologies or major process overhauls. However, with a scrappy mindset focused on incremental improvements, nonprofits can achieve significant gains without a huge budget. By tapping into existing tools, streamlining workflows, and eliminating repetitive manual tasks, organizations can free up staff time and better steward donors—all while keeping costs low. As discussed in a recent donor participation project podcast, several scrappy innovations can have a big impact. Using a free tool like Zapier to connect data between platforms like your CRM, email marketing, and social media tools eliminates the need for staff to manually copy and paste information. This reduces errors, provides a single source of truth for donor data, and saves many hours of administrative time. With Zapier, one nonprofit automated their gift acknowledgement process, automatically sending email or physical notes to donors. Another innovation is using free video tools to create personalized thank you messages. Sending authentic videos, even if low-production quality, can make donors feel seen and connected to your mission. One organization sent 35,000 videos with a small student team, leading to $1 million in increased donor retention. Keep videos short, mention the donor by name, and share a heartfelt message. Streamlining internal processes by eliminating repetition and bottlenecks also frees up resources. Evaluate areas where staff feel frustrated by inefficient procedures or duplication of work. Look for ways to use existing tools smarter, handoff repetitive tasks to automation, and bring teams together to envision an optimized workflow. Incremental improvements to a long, multi-step process can yield significant time savings. While investing in new technology may be ideal, nonprofits can still improve the donor experience with the tools and capabilities they already have. With creativity, scrappy thinking, and a willingness to eliminate manual processes, organizations can accomplish more with less and strengthen donor relationships through personal outreach and stewardship. Continually reevaluating internal systems and reallocating resources to high-impact areas fuels ongoing optimization and success.

Lack of Campus-Wide Support Hinders Fundraising Efforts, Say Advancement Leaders A recent survey of university fundraising professionals revealed a significant roadblock to increasing donor participation: lack of support from campus leadership and culture. Of the 75 advancement leaders surveyed, 73% disagreed or strongly disagreed that their institution’s culture understands the work required to drive donor participation. Without buy-in from leadership across the university, fundraising teams struggle to get the resources and collaboration they need to effectively engage donors. As Cameron Hall, executive director of annual giving at the University of South Carolina, said, “Really shaping how we are having those conversations with our presidents, with our boards to give them a greater sense of what the current market looks like and how we need to be adapting to communicate with donors the way they are instead of relegating a lot of these sort of tasks and skill sets to lower level employees.” Fundraisers also need support from their own institutional leadership, not just presidents and boards. The survey found a lack of alignment and buy-in even within advancement divisions, with some teams operating in “Hunger Games”-like environments of internal competition. This dynamic blocks the kind of collaboration and innovation that fundraising—and donor engagement in particular—demands today. To overcome these roadblocks, advancement leaders recommend: • Educating campus stakeholders about the work of fundraising and how to achieve key metrics like donor participation. This includes communicating the need for investment in staff, skills training, and new technologies. - Adapting to engage today’s donors by hiring staff with digital marketing and analytics skills and training existing teams. Advancement needs leadership that can pivot quickly as new technologies and engagement channels emerge. - Fostering a culture of collaboration over competition within advancement divisions. Teams should align around shared key performance indicators and work together to achieve institution-wide goals. - Measuring and communicating the ROI and long-term impact of donor engagement efforts to make the case for more resources and support. Building the donor pipeline requires long-term investment. With the support of institutional leadership and a collaborative culture focused on donor experience, advancement teams can overcome roadblocks to growing donor participation and build a sustainable fundraising program. But first, they need to make a compelling case for this vision of the future. Fundraisers, make your case.

Advancement Needs Adaptable Leadership and Staff with Digital Skills, Survey Finds A recent survey of nonprofit advancement professionals reveals that developing adaptable leadership and hiring staff with digital skills are key to growing donor participation. The survey, conducted by the Donor Participation Project, found that while 73% of respondents said they have adequate budget for donor participation efforts, only 27% felt they have the right staff and skills. “The survey shows that the ability to adapt quickly and attract candidates with digital marketing expertise are lacking in many advancement shops,” says Cameron Hall, Executive Director of Annual Giving at the University of South Carolina. “Leadership needs to reshape how they communicate with higher-ups and boards to convey what’s really needed to drive donor participation today.” Sean Devendorf, Senior Director of Annual Giving at Tufts University, agrees. “So much of what we’re talking about is that first level of engagement, and to get there we need to look at our data. We need better data hygiene and to determine how we can communicate with constituents on the channels they prefer.” To develop adaptable leadership and staff, advancement teams should: - Restructure org charts to meet donors where they are. Digital engagement roles should not be relegated to lower-level positions. Consider VP-level leadership. - Create an environment where staff feel empowered to test new strategies, even if they fail. Leadership must be comfortable with quick failure and pivoting. - Improve data quality and analytics to gain insight into constituent communication preferences and interests. Then build engagement around those interests. - Collaborate with marketing, communications and other departments using new tools and strategies. Tap into existing expertise. - Educate leadership and boards on new key performance indicators beyond traditional metrics like alumni participation rates. Explain what resources and skills are truly needed to reach today’s donors. Overall, advancement teams aiming to boost donor participation must adapt to keep pace with their digitally-savvy donors. By rethinking organizational structures, leadership styles and staff skills, teams can gain the agility and expertise they need to build meaningful connections and inspire more supporters to give and engage. The future of fundraising depends on it.

Advancement Needs Adaptable Leadership and Staff with Digital Skills, Survey Finds A recent survey of nonprofit advancement professionals reveals that developing adaptable leadership and hiring staff with digital skills are key to growing donor participation. The survey, conducted by the Donor Participation Project, found that while 73% of respondents said they have adequate budget for donor participation efforts, only 27% felt they have the right staff and skills. “The survey shows that the ability to adapt quickly and attract candidates with digital marketing expertise are lacking in many advancement shops,” says Cameron Hall, Executive Director of Annual Giving at the University of South Carolina. “Leadership needs to reshape how they communicate with higher-ups and boards to convey what’s really needed to drive donor participation today.” Sean Devendorf, Senior Director of Annual Giving at Tufts University, agrees. “So much of what we’re talking about is that first level of engagement, and to get there we need to look at our data. We need better data hygiene and to determine how we can communicate with constituents on the channels they prefer.” To develop adaptable leadership and staff, advancement teams should: • Restructure org charts to meet donors where they are. Digital engagement roles should not be relegated to lower-level positions. Consider VP-level leadership. - Create an environment where staff feel empowered to test new strategies, even if they fail. Leadership must be comfortable with quick failure and pivoting. - Improve data quality and analytics to gain insight into constituent communication preferences and interests. Then build engagement around those interests. - Collaborate with marketing, communications and other departments using new tools and strategies. Tap into existing expertise. - Educate leadership and boards on new key performance indicators beyond traditional metrics like alumni participation rates. Explain what resources and skills are truly needed to reach today’s donors. Overall, advancement teams aiming to boost donor participation must adapt to keep pace with their digitally-savvy donors. By rethinking organizational structures, leadership styles and staff skills, teams can gain the agility and expertise they need to build meaningful connections and inspire more supporters to give and engage. The future of fundraising depends on it.

Why Traditional Fundraising Metrics Can Hurt Your Organization Relying on traditional fundraising metrics like "40 calls, meetings/month" might seem like a productive strategy, but these metrics can actively harm the organization. 1. Traditional metrics prioritize activity over outcomes. These metrics emphasize effort—like the number of calls or meetings—over the true goal of fundraising: building genuine relationships that inspire impactful giving. One meaningful conversation can drive greater progress than dozens of shallow interactions. In fundraising, quality always trumps quantity. Donor Readiness is Key: Pushing for an ask prematurely, just to "check the box," disregards where a donor is in their journey. 2. Adopting Engagement-Based Fundraising from the Private Sector. The private sector has embraced customer-centric models, prioritizing lifetime value and engagement over short-term transactions. Nonprofits can apply these principles to fundraising by: Prioritizing the Donor Experience - understanding each donor's unique passions, values, and readiness. This makes every interaction meaningful and relevant. Leveraging personalization to create tailored strategies that deepen connections is the key. Personalized approaches are more likely to resonate with donors and lead to sustained support. 3. The Dangers of "Drive-By Solicitations". Pressure to "ask" often results in rushed, transactional interactions. These tactics are counterproductive because; - High-pressure asks make donors feel like ATMs, undermining the trust needed for long-term relationships. - Premature asks bypass the chance to cultivate deeper connections that could lead to transformational gifts. - Donors subjected to rushed or impersonal approaches may disengage, making future interactions more challenging. 4. Redefining Success in Fundraising - to address these issues, organizations need to redefine success, moving beyond activity-based metrics to focus on meaningful outcomes. They should: - Measure Impact Metrics: Evaluate the depth and quality of relationships through donor engagement scores, retention rates, and satisfaction surveys. - Follow Donor-Led Timelines: Let the donor’s readiness guide cultivation efforts rather than forcing asks to meet fiscal deadlines. - Empower Fundraisers: Remove unrealistic activity quotas, giving fundraisers the freedom to focus on authentic, enduring partnerships. Transitioning from activity-driven to engagement-driven fundraising aligns the organization’s efforts with donor aspirations. By focusing on relationship-building, leveraging personalization, and adopting proven private-sector principles, nonprofits can foster lasting partnerships. This shift paves the way for transformational gifts that not only benefit the organization's mission but also create deeply meaningful experiences for donors.

The donor cycle is broken because it prioritizes data and systems over meaningful, lasting connections with the people who give donations. I once worked for a supervisor who was obsessed with charts, graphs, and Excel sheets. Don’t get me wrong, I consider myself data-driven and relationship-focused. But the only thing my supervisor had a relationship with was the data in his Excel sheets. Donors were reduced to rows and columns, with their value summarized in a single cell. Conversations revolved around "Column C" and "Row 15," not people. As you can imagine, this approach didn’t inspire lasting donor relationships. It was mechanical, sterile, and completely disconnected from the mission we were supposed to be advancing. For years, nonprofits have operated under a donor cycle that focuses on asking for contributions, thanking donors, and little else. Identify, cultivate, solicit, thank, repeat. But what about the space in between? What about the relationship? This transactional approach leaves donors feeling undervalued, treating them as one-time problem-solvers called upon only when funds are needed. The traditional donor cycle is steeped in inefficiency and disconnection. It’s designed to secure immediate contributions but fails to inspire loyalty. Donors are identified, cultivated just enough to give, solicited, and then thanked with a generic email or letter. That’s where the relationship often ends. This transactional mindset ignores the individuality of donors, assuming they exist solely to fund the mission without considering their potential for deeper involvement. Rethinking the donor cycle starts with recognizing that donors are not just funders, they’re allies, advocates, and champions of the mission. Engagement must go beyond securing the next gift. It’s about fostering relationships where donors feel like integral, valued members of the community. Rather than focusing on the next ask, focus on what keeps donors inspired. Share regular updates that highlight the tangible results of their contributions. Personalize communications to reflect their specific interests and previous involvement. Invite them to events, volunteer opportunities, or informal conversations about their motivations. These efforts can transform one-time donors into lifelong supporters. Success in donor engagement isn’t measured by the dollars raised in a single campaign; it’s about the relationship formed over a lifetime. Breaking free from this model won’t be easy, but the reward is a donor base that’s loyal, inspired, and fully invested in your mission. Are you ready to stop reducing donors to data points and start building meaningful connections? The time for change is now. #nonprofits #nonprofitconsultants #nonprofitfreelancers #nonprofitconsultants #philanthropy #fundraising

From Manual to Automated: Scaling Your Nonprofit’s Fundraising Efforts For nonprofit fundraisers, time and resources are always in short supply. Manual processes limit productivity and prevent organizations from reaching their full fundraising potential. Automation is the key to doing more with less. Nick Pringer, CEO of the Prenger Solutions Group, shared how his firm helped nonprofit clients scale their fundraising using automation. For the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix’s $10 million annual appeal, Prenger’s team used marketing automation to convert 21% of online donors into recurring givers, significantly increasing revenue. The first step is evaluating your data infrastructure. Many nonprofits struggle with inaccurate or disorganized data, limiting their ability to automate. Pringer recommends starting small by automating “affirmation” emails, like thanking recent donors. These small automations have little downside if errors occur but can make a big impact. Fix data issues as you go. With good data, you can automate more advanced fundraising workflows. For example, automate sending a welcome email to first-time donors from your CEO or development director. Set up a follow-up email two months later highlighting the impact of their gift. Automate sending recurring giving invitations to donors as they fulfill pledge payments. These personalized touches make a memorable impression and boost loyalty and lifetime value. Of course, legal and IT approval can be challenging. Don’t try to explain the benefits yourself. Prenger advises having the technology vendor address concerns directly. They are best equipped to articulate how the system works and proper data security measures. Legal and IT teams simply want to ensure there are no issues, so addressing their questions thoroughly upfront smooths the approval process. While manual processes feel familiar and safer, they prevent nonprofits from maximizing their potential. With the right approach to data, tools, and approvals, fundraising automation can scale your organization’s impact by boosting donor participation and revenue. The time to start automating is now. Your donors—and your mission—will thank you.

Three Consumer Rebellions and What They Mean for Nonprofits Today Nonprofits today face major challenges in reaching and engaging supporters. According to author and marketing expert Mark Schaeffer, three major “consumer rebellions” have reshaped how organizations connect with their audiences. Understanding these rebellions is key to nonprofit success. The first rebellion was against advertising. Consumers today are adept at avoiding ads and tuning them out. Nonprofits can no longer rely on ads alone to spread their message or inspire action. The solution is to focus on storytelling and creating an emotional connection with supporters. Share authentic stories that highlight your impact and mission. The second rebellion was against loyalty programs and the notion of “earning” loyalty. Today’s consumers want transparency and authenticity. They will support organizations and buy from brands that align with their values—not because of points or perks. Nonprofits should build real relationships with supporters, not transactional ones based on rewards. Show how you genuinely make a difference. The third rebellion is against technology and automation. Consumers crave human connection and relationships. Nonprofits should avoid relying solely on technology, automation, and impersonal communication. While digital tools have a role to play, personal outreach and genuine interaction are most meaningful to supporters. Highlight the human faces behind your work. Nonprofits must adapt to new realities. Ditch mass advertising for authentic storytelling. Replace loyalty gimmicks with real relationship building. And remember that no technology can replace human-to-human connection. Focus on your mission and values, share stories of real impact, build personal relationships, and engage supporters in your work. By embracing a human-centered approach, nonprofits can overcome consumer rebellions and thrive. The most human organizations will win.