Thoughts from the Group

Can I just say what everyone is thinking right now? These are weird times.  Federal budget cuts mean grants are being withheld from our...

Donors want to feel seen and known. Too often, we focus our donor communications on what we want them to do—give again, upgrade, attend....

Let’s cut right to the chase. If you’re still thanking donors and asking them for another gift in the same breath, you are not stewarding...

If you've been following DRG for any length of time, you've likely heard us share facts, percentages, and trends based on our own...

Let’s talk about the unspoken elephant in the room… or rather, in the ledger. Unspent donor funds. It’s the kind of phrase that makes...

In today's turbulent higher education landscape and competitive philanthropic environment, donor retention remains the cornerstone of...

Imagine this: a donor calls you, confused by a recent pledge reminder. As they describe what’s in front of them, you feel a pit in your...

In donor relations, we often talk about gratitude, stewardship, and impact, but the most transformative moments happen when we translate...

In an era of data-driven decision-making and digital donor engagement, storytelling continues to be one of the most powerful yet...

Donor retention isn’t rocket science—but it is  science. Behavioral  science, that is. And there is already a treasure trove of...

I love donor events—like capital L.O.V.E.—I really, really love donor events. I love how a good event can create a strong emotional...

We encounter many firsts throughout our lives, and these experiences often shape our future decisions. For example, when you buy your...

Donor feedback. Sometimes, we seek it; other times, it comes to us unsolicited, and usually, when we least expect it. Feedback—regardless...

When I was a young fundraiser starting out in major gifts (a story for another day…), I was paired with a much more seasoned fundraiser...

As part of the stewardship process donors expect many things from us. Chief among these things is demonstrating the impact of the...

Picture this: It's a Tuesday morning after endowment reporting season, and I'm sipping my third cup of coffee (let's not judge). My inbox...

How do you know that   your work  in donor relations is making a bottom-line fundraising impact?  One (sometimes loaded) word:  metrics. ...

Donor retention is often a neglected metric in fundraising, with many organizations focusing more on the volume of donations or the...

Bespoke engagement plans for top donors are one of the hottest topics in fundraising, and for good reason––the “one-size-fits-all”...

Giving Tuesday can be a whirlwind of support, particularly from new donors who resonate with your cause. But after the rush, it’s...