Emily Etzkorn

In higher education fundraising, building lasting relationships with donors is just as important as securing gifts. A well-defined donor engagement cycle ensures that institutions nurture donors from initial awareness to lifelong advocacy.  Understanding the key stages of this cycle, together with implementing effective engagement strategies, can significantly enhance donor retention and increase philanthropic impact.In this …

Donor Engagement Cycle: Key Stages & Strategies for Success Read More »

Donor retention is a critical measure of success for fundraising in higher education institutions.  Retaining donors not only ensures a steady stream of support, but also leads to stronger alumni relations and more sustainable funding. This blog explores the importance of donor retention, methods to calculate it, and strategies to enhance it effectively. What Is …

How to Increase Donor Retention Read More »

The importance of understanding your donors’ motivations, needs, preferences, and giving patterns cannot be overstated. Gaining insight into all these factors gives you the ability to tailor your outreach in a way that resonates with each individual supporter and connect with them on a deeper level.   Enter donor segmentation — a strategic framework that allows …

Donor Segmentation: Utilizing the RFM Approach Read More »

Turning a casual supporter into a dedicated advocate, one who champions your institution for years to come requires more than just an inspiring mission statement or an occasional email, call, or text. This is a process that resembles a carefully orchestrated journey — one built on strategic nurturing and a deep understanding of where donors …

Donor Journey: From The Engagement Center To Leadership Giving Read More »

When it comes to fundraising, knowing the impact of every dollar spent is crucial. That’s where calculating your Return on Investment (ROI) comes in. It’s a straightforward yet powerful way to measure the success of your fundraising efforts. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of calculating your fundraising ROI and discuss …

How to Calculate Fundraising ROI Read More »

Adopting a donor-centric approach signifies an essential evolution from traditional fundraising methods. This strategy mainly puts the focus on understanding and responding to the preferences, motivations, and interests of donors.  But why is this shift so important?  It’s simple: behind every donation, there’s a unique story and a personal reason. Recognizing and valuing these stories …

9 Donor-Centric Fundraising Tips Read More »

A successful fundraising pipeline ensures a steady flow of resources necessary for your institution’s growth and sustainability.  It is a strategic framework that will help you identify, engage, and build long-lasting relationships with potential donors through a carefully planned series of interactions and touchpoints.  This approach is designed to gradually increase their interest and involvement …

How to Build and Manage a Fundraising Pipeline Read More »

It’s a thin line between engaging your donors effectively and overwhelming them with your outreach attempts to the point of donor fatigue.  To avoid this scenario and maintain an engaged and ready-to-donate audience, it’s important to find the right balance between staying top of mind and respecting their space and capacity to give. This means …

How to Avoid Donor Fatigue Read More »