Thoughts from the Group

Changes. Musicians from David Bowie to 2Pac have sung about them, and we all know the old adage, “Change is the only constant,” especially in today’s fast-paced world. All our organizations, regardless of size, are perpetually faced with shifts—leadership transitions, staff turnover, policy overhauls, etc., you name it, and we see it. Change is inevitable, but the way an organization handles these changes can significantly impact its morale, productivity, and long-term succes

Annual impact reports are common—annual impact reports that make thousands of donors feel like they personally belong in the story are not. That's exactly what Colorado State University accomplished with its 2025 Impact Report. Rather than treating the report as a year-end obligation, the advancement team transformed it into a comprehensive stewardship campaign that reached donors across multiple channels, personalized messaging by audience, and reinforced one simple truth: e

Let’s be honest: most donor relations shops struggle with data. Three common reasons? they do not know what to measure they do not know how to pull it they receive reports that do not actually help them make decisions In my career, I have asked for data more times than I can count, only to realize it missed the mark—or worse, I was not even sure what I needed in the first place. This isn’t a new problem, and I know I’m not alone. My suggestion is to start with the many reso

There’s a hard truth in donor relations that we don’t talk about enough: Most donor experience problems are not people problems. They’re process problems. Your donors are probably not upset because your staff doesn’t care. They’re most likely upset because: The thank-you letter arrived six weeks late. Their name was misspelled for the third time. They received three appeals before one stewardship report. No one noticed they stopped engaging months ago. The event invitation we

Recognition societies are a hotly debated topic in fundraising circles, including among those of us at DRG. Our recent Pulse of Donor Relations highlighted this debate: for the first time in years, we saw an uptick in practitioners who believe recognition societies are effective. Even so, the question remains: to society? Or not to society? Data from the 2025 Pulse of Donor Relations Report I have seen recognition societies work beautifully. The organizations who get it right

Gut-check time: Does your organization follow the money? Or build what’s sustainable? A recent Chronicle of Higher Education article highlights the ongoing scrutiny of major donors and the influence they can have within institutions. And honestly? It has us talking! But, let’s also be clear: nonprofits in other sub-sectors are not exempt from this behavior. At the same time, data from the Chronicle of Philanthropy and the CASE Voluntary Support of Education report highlights

If there’s one constant in philanthropy right now, it’s change. We’re always encountering new challenges. New donor expectations. New technologies. Increased scrutiny. A growing demand for transparency. Yet, for many organizations, donor relations practices haven’t kept pace, and that’s where the tension lives. We ask our teams to operate in a rapidly changing external environment while relying on internal systems, definitions, and mindsets that were created for a different e

When I worked at Disney, I learned a lot about creating extraordinary experiences. But one of the most powerful lessons learned had nothing to do with parades, character breakfasts, or fireworks. It had everything to do with how to make change and how to handle complaints when you do. At Disney, we had what we called the 10% rule. If we made a change: say we swapped out a menu item, rerouted a parade, or redesigned an attraction it was never done on a whim. Teams of experts h

I know we preach it often, but donor reporting is one of the most critical areas of your donor relations program. Donors must be informed about the impact of their giving if you want them to give again. But having a reporting structure alone does not necessarily make your program effective. That’s why it is important to assess whether your reporting is meeting your organization’s goals and needs. So, how do you know if your reporting is actually working? Well first, it starts