Emily Etzkorn

Emily began her career in higher education advancement as a student caller in undergrad and spent many years working in Annual Giving. With her background in fundraising, Emily is working on growing VanillaSoft's presence in this space, as well as helping customers achieve success in their fundraising efforts and campaigns.

Donor Cultivation Best Practices

Universities face increasing pressure to secure sustainable funding while building meaningful relationships with their supporters. The difference between institutions that merely survive and those that thrive often comes down to one critical factor: effective donor cultivation. But what exactly is donor cultivation, and how can your advancement team implement strategies that convert one-time donors into …

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How to Elevate Your Multichannel Donor Outreach

To maintain and grow donor relationships, higher education institutions must continually refine their fundraising strategies.  The most successful advancement teams recognize that effective donor outreach goes beyond a single communication channel.  Those who hit their targets work on orchestrating a harmonious mix of touchpoints that meet donors where they are. In this article, we’ll explore …

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Donor Engagement Cycle: Key Stages & Strategies for Success

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 …

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How to Stand Out During Year-End Giving with Omnichannel Engagement

The year-end giving season is a time of immense generosity; a period where individuals and communities rally together to support the causes closest to their hearts.  But today’s donors, particularly those contributing to universities and colleges, are more discerning than ever. There are numerous causes and initiatives fighting for their attention. Donors seek deeper connections, …

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Donor Segmentation: Utilizing the RFM Approach

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 …

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Donor Journey: From The Engagement Center To Leadership Giving

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 …

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9 Donor-Centric Fundraising Tips

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 …

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