Step inside an immersive learning experience that will transform the way you think about donor events.
This year, we’re going beyond the ballroom and straight into unforgettable, one-of-a-kind donor experiences that deliver on both impact and ROI.
You’ll start off learning the Four Pillars of the Donor Experience—our framework for elevating the giving journey in ways that feel intentional, emotional, and deeply human. From there, you’ll discover how to plan purpose-driven donor events from the ground up, and design a top donor engagement strategy that keeps your largest supporters loyal for a lifetime.
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Then comes the moment you’ll be talking about all year: stepping inside the charity:water Experience Lab, where you’ll see, feel, and discover what a truly unforgettable donor experience can be. Together, we’ll unpack the elements that stand out, and show you how they translate no matter your organization’s size, mission, or resources.
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Over three memorable days, you’ll become obsessed (in the best way) with the donor experience. You’ll learn exactly how to move from hosting events to designing meaningful moments that spark emotion, deepen connection, and stay with your donors long after they’ve gone home.
This isn’t just a conference. This is full-contact creativity. Let’s make donor experiences unforgettable.
The DRG Difference
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At DRG, we conference differently. We believe professional development should be more than informational—it should be memorable, energizing, and fun. That’s why every DRG event is intentionally designed to combine expert insights with a warm, engaging, and highly interactive atmosphere that sets us apart.
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From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel the difference. Here's what makes a DRG experience stand out:
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Training from the best in the business.
Our team of industry-leading experts doesn't just teach—they translate complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies you can implement immediately.
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The content you actually need.
Every topic is built around the challenges you’re currently navigating, not hypothetical scenarios or one-size-fits-all ideas.
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Guidance from top consultants and practitioners.
Our team has been in your shoes. We’ve built the programs, tackled the fires, and have lived and breathed donor relations. In fact, one of us even wrote the book on it.
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Workbooks packed with tools you can use right away.
Each session comes with a workbook loaded with worksheets, templates, checklists, and examples—with full permission to copy, customize, and steal to your heart’s content.
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Practical, tactical, realistic solutions.
We skip case studies and sales pitches. We meet you where you are and focus on real strategies to help you elevate your program from good, to better, to best—no matter the size of your team or budget.
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An environment that fuels creativity.
Great music, fidget toys, dance breaks, laughter, and the most fun you've ever had at a conference. You’ll leave inspired, energized, and ready to put new strategies to work immediately.
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A community to lean on.
You’ll build relationships, swap ideas, and leave with a network of peers you'll stay connected to long after the conference ends.
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At DRG, we don’t just host conferences—we create joyful, transformative gatherings that empower you to deliver extraordinary donor experiences at your organization. Let’s learn, grow, and celebrate this work together!
Secure Your Spot
​Bring your team!
Save 10% on 3 or more full conference registrations with the code TEAM10.
Conference Overview
Day 1: June 23, 2026
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The Four Pillars of the Donor Experience
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The Four Pillars of the Donor Experience (DX) expands upon the foundation of the Four Pillars of Donor Relations—moving beyond the 'how' of our daily work to focus on the 'why' that drives it.
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Put yourself in the donor’s shoes. They don’t want another lapel pin or bumper sticker—they want to feel their impact. They want to know they matter. True donor appreciation isn’t costly, but neglecting it is. It costs up to seven times more to acquire a new donor than to retain an existing one.
The solution is simple: center your focus on the donor. When you prioritize their experience—not your processes—you create lasting loyalty.
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This workshop begins with an honest assessment of your current practices through the lenses of mechanics, communications, strategy, and culture, helping you identify where to focus your time, energy, and resources. From there, you’ll dive deep into the Four Pillars of the Donor Experience, uncovering practical ways to create meaningful, memorable moments that strengthen connection and inspire continued generosity.
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You’ll leave with actionable strategies, renewed purpose, and a framework to transform every interaction into an opportunity to make your donors feel seen, valued, and inspired.
Day 2: June 24, 2026
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Morning Session | The Event Architect: Designing Donor Experiences from the Ground Up
You can’t deliver a great donor experience if guests don’t receive the invite, can’t find parking, or wait in line behind a clipboard. This practical, fast-paced workshop will show you how the best donor events are built from the ground up—starting with logistics.
From invitations and guest lists to room layouts and registration flows, we’ll focus on the behind-the-scenes systems that make events feel seamless to donors and manageable for your team. Because here’s the truth: when the logistics are solid, that’s when you unlock the space for moments of magic, connection, and transformation.
You’ll leave with tools and templates to create mission-driven events that run smoothly, look professional, and make donors feel seen and valued.
You will learn to:
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Build a guest list that aligns with your goals and donor strategy
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Write invitations that drive RSVPs and reduce no-shows
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Create a run-of-show and checklist to eliminate last-minute chaos
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Design arrival and registration flows that are smooth, welcoming, and professional
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Identify and use key event metrics to measure success, and translate data points into clear, compelling insights for leadership decision-making
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Avoid common mistakes that can undermine the donor experience
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Afternoon Session | Designing Bespoke Stewardship and Engagement Plans for Your Top Donors
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This is for your top donors. The ones whose generosity shapes programs, spaces, and futures. While your overall stewardship strategy likely serves 98% of your donor base, this session focuses on the top 1–2% who need a more custom, intentional approach.
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Which donors should receive individualized plans? What staffing and resources are needed to sustain this effort? And how can you design plans that are both meaningful and manageable?
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In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to structure bespoke stewardship and engagement plans, determine who should have one, and define what each plan should include. You’ll walk away with creative, actionable ideas, from campus visits and speaking opportunities to meetings with gift beneficiaries, each mapped to donor preferences for maximum impact.
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You’ll also learn how bespoke plans can evolve into larger, programmatic initiatives and build engagement inventories that help you ideate around your most transformational supporters.
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Evening Experience | charity:water Experience Lab*
You won't want to miss our special evening experience at the charity:water Experience Lab! The Experience Lab is an immersive and creative look into the global water crisis. How one views water will forever be changed through virtual reality, hands-on exhibits and a powerful story of one family in Uganda. This curated experience is aimed at leading people through the problems that define the water crisis, the solutions that solve this crisis, and the actions each person can take to join the movement in fighting for clean water.
*This experience is available only to attendees who purchase a full conference registration or both Day 2 and Day 3 passes. It is not available to those who purchase a single-day or half-day pass.
Day 3: June 25, 2026
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Morning | Immersive Impact: Shaping Donor Experiences Inspired by charity:water’s ExperienceLab
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Join us for a half‑day workshop that takes inspiration from the immersive, experiential approach of the charity: water Experience Lab. This session is designed for donor relations professionals who are ready to move beyond traditional thank‑you letters and occasional events—to create donor experiences that resonate deeply, inspire loyalty, and drive sustained engagement.
After visiting the charity: water Experience Lab — a space where storytelling, sensory engagement, and purpose‑driven design combine to create a compelling donor journey—you’ll learn how to turn that inspiration into action.
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We’ll work together to explore how you can bring those same principles into your own organization’s donor experience. We’ll ask questions like: What does the donor feel, see, and remember? How can you design meaningful touchpoints that reflect your mission’s reality? How do you balance authenticity, emotion, and measurable outcomes?
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By the end of the half‑day session, you’ll leave with concrete tools to map and elevate your donor experience—grounded in what works at charity: water, adapted for your mission, and optimized for retention and impact.
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You Will Learn How To:
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Apply the “Experience First” Mindset - Shift from outputs to outcomes—using emotional resonance and intentional design to create meaningful donor moments that go beyond words or data.
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Design Signature Experiences for Donors - Create high-impact, sensory-rich donor experiences—online or in-person—that are tailored to your audience and aligned with your mission.
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Spark Emotion and Inspire Connection - Learn how storytelling, surprise, and sensory elements can be used strategically to craft memorable donor interactions that build lifelong loyalty.
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Afternoon | Optional 1-on-1 Consulting (Add-on, $150 per hour)
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Get tailored, expert advice without the big price tag or long-term commitment. Add a 1-on-1 consulting session to your conference registration and spend an hour with a DRG expert focused on your specific goals or challenges. Whether you need help reviewing communications, building leadership buy-in, ideating a new project, rethinking donor engagement, or could use an hour of executive coaching, our team will match you with the consultant best suited to your needs.
We’re offering one hour of in-person, 1-on-1 consulting with our team of experts for just $150 per hour on the afternoon of June 24. Sign up early—space is limited!
Available to full conference (all 3 days) attendees only. Not available for current DRG consulting clients. Purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable. Topics not covered include strategic plans, program assessments, fund audit work, or other areas that fall under DRG’s long-term consulting services.
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CFRE Eligibility: This conference has been submitted for CFRE approval and is expected to be approved for 12.5 CFRE points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.
Rave Reviews
Truly enjoyed the conference and the facilitators. Lynne and her team are dynamic, fun, and true experts in the field of donor relations. It was wonderful to be in a room with my peers and learn best practices in a fun atmosphere.
Every organization that relies on donors needs this conference. The DRG team is extremely knowledgeable and they are excellent presenters.
Thank you for helping me understand what my role is truly supposed to be doing and what I should be striving to change. This conference has reinvigorated me and I am excited to get home and just take one or two pieces to start with and help our organization be even better for our donors.
The DRG group provides insights that can boost donor retention, giving both seasoned staff and newly assigned staff tools for success. I will personally incorporate concepts provided to assist the organization I work with. If someone is looking for a conference to improve donor relations, look no further, five stars.
Location
Special thanks to our hosts at the Adventure Science Center!
CONFERENCE LOCATION
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Adventure Science Center
800 Fort Negley Blvd
Nashville, TN 37203
HOTEL
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Kimpton Aertson
2021 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
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Group rate coming soon! ​​
Can't wait to dive into the content?
Grab your copy of the book that started it all—The Four Pillars of Donor Relations—and discover why Lynne's Four Pillars framework is the guide that every donor relations shop needs. A brilliant partner to the Four 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!
Ready to take your donor relations to the next level? The 4 Pillars of the Donor Experience—knowledge, strategy, culture, and emotion—builds upon the foundation of the Four Pillars of Donor Relations, and lets us understand the fundamental truths behind why donors continue to respond to our work, continue to give, and deepen their relationships with our organizations.
In 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 Partners
Our sponsors allow us to keep our prices low while still providing you with the best experience possible. We want to thank our friends who partner with us to make these conferences and workshops possible. We couldn't do it without you! Click on the logos below to learn more about the incredible work they do.
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