JOIN THE DRG GROUP FOR A 2-DAY
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE!
For the first time ever, we're bringing the 4 Pillars of the Donor Experience Conference to you — wherever you are!
Join us for a 2-day, 4 Pillars Conference Virtual Experience March 23 and 24, 2023. Our core team of industry-leading experts will be presenting this highly-anticipated conference live from Chicago in a hybrid in-person and virtual experience. No other conference will teach you how to create amazing donor experiences like we will.
During this 2-day live-stream event, you'll spend a full day diving into the advanced strategies within the 4 Pillars of the Donor Experience. You'll also learn how to further strengthen your fund reporting/stewardship and donor communications practices with two, half-day workshops focused entirely on these key topics in donor relations.
Register today for a one-of-a-kind virtual experience that is engaging, energizing, and invaluable to your work.
VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
All sessions will be live-streamed, and no recordings will be provided.
DAY 1: HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS
Morning Session | Fund Reporting/Stewardship Workshop
Join us for a half-day Fund Stewardship Workshop on the principles of fund stewardship, compliance, and financial utilization. As we know, getting the gift in the door is only half the battle. Once it’s on the books, our job in Donor Relations begins with the long-term process of ensuring the funds are utilized to maximum capacity in accordance with donor intent, and reported on annually to the donors. This dedicated workshop will focus on setting the stage with effective and sustainable gift agreements, fund audit and monitoring best practices, donor-centered stewardship activities (including a deep dive into fund reporting), and much more. We'll explore this complex issue while identifying key partners and data needs, as well as discuss the role of Donor Relations professionals in this arena. Whether you are new to this space, or need a refresher on the “science side of the house,” this workshop is for you!
Afternoon Session | Donor Communications Workshop
One of the crucial keys to retaining donors is creating an effective donor communications program that resonates and engages your audience. So how do we go about creating dynamic donor communications? How do we create messages that truly resonate? How do we write for both persuasion and gratitude at the same time? How do we meet the demands for print, video, and social content that satiates everyone’s needs? Where do we start?
During this donor communications workshop you'll learn:
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How to effectively tell your story using the 4 Pillars of Donor Communications
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How to create communications donors want to consume and share
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When to use certain types of communications over others
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How to advocate for change and attain buy-in with internal constituencies
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How to eliminate communications that aren't working
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Simple changes to transform a bad communication into a good one
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Tests to run on your current communications efforts to evaluate effectiveness
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How to make the donor the hero of your work!
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And so much more!
We'll inspire you with samples of amazing communications, teach you the same proven strategies we’ve shared with clients all over the world, and equip you with the tools you need to create and implement a winning donor communications strategy at your organization.
DAY 2: THE 4 PILLARS OF THE DONOR EXPERIENCE
The Four Pillars of the Donor Experience, or the DX, is built upon the foundation of the Four Pillars of Donor Relations, but goes beyond the tactics that guide our work and instead applies to a living philosophy that guides the why behind our fundraising practices.
Put yourself in the donor’s shoes—they don’t want another lapel pin or bumper sticker. They want to know they make a difference to your institution and are valued. Donor appreciation is not expensive, but neglecting it can be. Research shows that it is 7 times more expensive to acquire a new donor than to keep the ones you already have. The solution is simple: put the donor first and consume yourself with the DX—their experience, not yours.
Day 2 of this conference begins with an evaluation of your current practice based on MECHANICS, COMMUNICATIONS, STRATEGY, and CULTURE to give you a clear idea of where to focus your resources and efforts. From there, each session is dedicated to breaking down the 4 Pillars of the DX—and teaching you how to create an extraordinary donor experience.
CFRE Eligibility: This conference has been approved for 12 points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.
REGISTRATION
All pricing is per-person—please purchase a seat for each individual at your organization who would like to attend. This is a LIVE event and
no recordings will be provided.
Full 2-Day Virtual Experience | March 23 - 24, 2023
$800
Day 1 | March 23, 2023
Fund Reporting/Stewardship & Donor Communications Workshops
$400
Day 2 | March 24, 2023
The 4 Pillars of the Donor Experience
$400
Prefer to join us in person?
Check out the 4 Pillars Conference Experience in Chicago!
MEET YOUR SPEAKERS
Lynne Wester
Principal and Founder
The DRG Group
Matthew Helmer
DRG Consultant & Strategist
Sarah Sims
DRG Consultant & Strategist
Executive Director of Donor Engagement
University of Houston
Angie Joens
DRG Consultant & Strategist
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Development Outreach
University of California Davis
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
I always worry with hybrid conferences is that there will be a disconnect with the in person experience. However, there was a real vibrancy within the chat box online which made for a nice shared experience!
I have to say (like the rest of the world) I was not looking forward to an online conference, but you all did an amazing job interacting with the the online participants and keeping it fun and fresh and engaging. I definitely paid more attention than I have at other online conferences in the last 2 years.
This conference didn't feel like a conference---it was an experience! The DRG Group clearly applied what they know about donor relations to every piece of the conference. It was personal, memorable and valuable. Thank you to the entire team for a great three days.
This was my first hybrid conference and you did a fantastic job of including us online attendees. I felt very much a part of the fun. Thank you!
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
DAY 1: THURSDAY, MARCH 23 | HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS
10:00 AM - 1:30 PM ET | Fund Reporting/Stewardship Workshop
This dedicated workshop will focus on setting the stage with effective and sustainable gift agreements, fund audit and monitoring best practices, donor-centered stewardship activities (including a deep dive into fund reporting), and much more. We'll explore this complex issue while identifying key partners and data needs, as well as discuss the role of Donor Relations professionals in this arena. Whether you are new to this space, or need a refresher on the “science side of the house,” this workshop is for you!
1:30 PM ET | Lunch Break (No live stream)
2:30 PM - 6:00 PM ET | Donor Communications Workshop
During this donor communications workshop you'll learn how to effectively tell your story using the 4 Pillars of Donor Communications. We'll inspire you with samples of amazing communications, teach you the same proven strategies we’ve shared with clients all over the world, and equip you with the tools you need to create and implement a winning donor communications strategy at your organization.
DAY 2: FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | THE 4 PILLARS OF THE DONOR EXPERIENCE
10:00 AM ET | Introduction: The 4 Pillars of the Donor Experience
10:15 AM ET | Pillar One: Knowledge
Knowledge is power. Knowledge of our donors, their preferences, and their experiences isn’t strange or unnerving — it’s expected and mutually beneficial. Imagine how much more could be accomplished if there was an overall understanding and mindset that encourages consistent and positive data behavior.
What you will learn:
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Passive and active intelligence and data to further understand your donors
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How to identify information gaps in your donor knowledge and techniques to fill these gaps
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Techniques for defining your strategies and priorities both in the short- and long-term
11:30 AM ET | Break
11:45 AM ET | Pillar Two: Strategy
Strategy isn’t simply a list of tasks that need to be undertaken in order to deepen the donor relationship. Strategy is charting a thoughtful path forward with the donor. Defining and outlining this journey is essential to success. Action with no strategy maintains the status quo.
What we'll cover:
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Strategies to increase donor retention such as ask-to-thank ratios, reporting impact of donations at all levels, and more
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How to reshape communications in a donor-focused mindset using actionable intelligence
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How to identify stop/start activities (what can stay and what must go) in order to reprioritize new efforts into your workload
1:00 PM ET | Lunch Break (No live stream)
2:00 PM ET | Pillar Three: Culture
Culture focuses on empowerment, excellence, and gratitude to help define your organization’s interactions with donors. An expectation of excellence is a behavior and application of a set of standards. During this session, we’ll uncover the startling power and dynamic of gratitude-based living. Living and practicing gratitude both internally and externally can transform relationships. It’s more than just thank you notes, it’s a lifestyle.
What you’ll learn:
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How to create a culture of gratitude at your organization that will lead to both short- and long-term success
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Healthy power dynamics and whose role it is to demonstrate gratitude at your organization
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Best and next practices—as well as common pitfalls in gratitude
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How to swap out traditional donor recognition for inclusive methods of gratitude that will ultimately affect the fundraising bottom line
3:15 PM ET | Break
3:30 PM ET | Pillar Four: Emotion
Emotions are at the center of the donor experience and are behind why donors give, why they remain loyal, and why they ultimately leave. There are many emotions that inspire donors to give—joy, sadness, anger, belief, nostalgia—the list goes on. The most successful nonprofits tap in to those emotions and convert them into action.
What you’ll learn:
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How to infuse your communications with these same emotions for maximum impact and ROI in your fundraising and relationship efforts
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Techniques for fixing a broken donor relationship and making it fruitful again in the future
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How to craft extraordinary donor experiences that are one of a kind and allow a donor’s generosity to shine
4:45 PM ET | Wrap-Up & Q&A
5:30 PM ET | Live Stream Ends
CAN'T WAIT TO DIVE INTO THE 4 PILLARS?
Grab your copy of the book that started it all—The 4 Pillars of Donor Relations—and discover why Lynne's 4 Pillars framework is the guide that every donor relations shop needs. A brilliant duet to the 4 Pillars Conference, this book contains a dozen examples of creative communications with donors from real institutions and 60 pages of appendices offering specific advice on everything from what to include in a gift acceptance policy to donor event management. Learn the framework during the conference, and keep the book as a reference for everyone at your organization for years to come!
Grab your copy of the The 4 Pillars of the Donor Experience—knowledge, strategy, culture, and emotion—build upon the foundation of the 4 Pillars of Donor Relations, and let us understand the fundamental truths behind why donors continue to respond to our work, continue to give, and deepen their relationships with our organization.
In the The 4 Pillars of The Donor Experience, Lynne breaks down the philosophy of donor engagement while providing concrete strategies, tangible examples, and a whole slew of images and samples from organizations across the nation doing great work. Now available in print or as an audiobook!
OUR SPONSORS
Our sponsors allow us to keep our prices low while still providing you with the best experience possible. Thank you to our friends who partner with us to make these conferences and workshops possible. We couldn't do it without you! Click on their logos to learn more about the incredible work they're doing.
Lunch Sponsor:
Printing Sponsor:
Live Stream Sponsor:
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