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In Service:
The Column of the ADRP President
Kathleen Diemer, CFRE
Executive Director of Donor Relations and Advancement Communications
George Mason University
"For some of us 2017 may be status quo, for others it may be a wild ride." I wrote those words in the February issue of The Hub, and I think I may have jinxed myself. At the time, I was writing about the state of philanthropy. Little did I know that it would become a prophetic statement about my donor relations team. This year has been a wild ride indeed!
The year started with one team member moving across the country. Not long after, another team member married and relocated with her new husband. A third team member accepted a great opportunity within our division. With two promotions possibly looming for other team members it is likely that every role on my team, except my own, will have turned over by the end of the year. Though I am grateful that happy events instigated all of these transitions, I have to admit that I am somewhat exhausted from thinking about job descriptions, candidate searches, and the hiring process.
I was fortunate to have an incredible team and the thought of rebuilding it is daunting. At the same time, the last several months have made me focus on the traits that are necessary for anyone to succeed in the field of donor relations. As I review candidate materials and conduct interviews, I realize that there are certain innate qualities that make a difference in building a successful and high performing donor relations team. So what qualities matter when hiring for a donor relations job?
A genuine sense of gratitude and good communication skills are a good place to start. I look for candidates who exude a true sense of generosity, appreciation and thoughtfulness. Solid verbal and written communication skills are non-negotiable when it comes to working with donors and colleagues. Along those lines, the ability to be a translator is also valuable. At some point in his or her career almost every donor relations professional has to help translate financial speak into easily understood language. We also often have to translate database fields into attractive and informative donor communications.
The word "team" appears often in this column. Why? Because donor relations is a team sport. Even if you are a one-person shop you no doubt work as part of a team in a larger context. The right candidate may be an introvert, an extrovert or an ambivert. Personality type really does not matter. When it comes to successful donor relations, no one is an island. Even if someone likes to spend most of their time sitting quietly in an office, they will eventually need to interact with colleagues throughout their organization. The nature of our jobs requires us to work closely with leadership, finance staff, fund beneficiaries, and a variety of other personnel at our organizations.
An inquisitive and curious nature is also essential to success in donor relations. While working at my previous organization, I once had someone ask me to track down information about a fund they "thought might have existed in 1968." After letting the person who made the request know I wasn't even alive until 1972, I went to work with a colleague from our research team. Eventually we solved the mystery and tracked down the fund information. It was a major victory, but that is just one example. There have been many other moments in my career when I have had to play the role of detective.
Discretion and a steadfast desire to do the right thing are also key traits I look for in candidates. Donor relations professionals have access to private information for many people. Sometimes we know about major gifts months before public announcements. We must be able to maintain confidentiality at all times. We owe it to our donors and our organizations. We also must do the right thing on behalf of both our donors and our organizations. Sometimes this means navigating and negotiating challenging gift agreements or conditions with great care and sensitivity. We don't always have the easiest of jobs, but we always have to proceed with discretion and a clear focus on the best interests of all parties.
Patience and compassion are equally important traits for donor relations professionals. No matter what sector we work in, we often encounter people whose giving is inspired or motivated by tragic circumstances. We assist families during times of loss and help people create lasting tributes to their loved ones. We should never lose sight of how privileged we are to play this role for others. Most donor relations professionals also have the privilege to work with a large variety of people from varied backgrounds and cultures. Doing so often requires great understanding and patience.
The ability to recognize a good story is also helpful in our profession. You may not be the best storyteller, but knowing when something will resonate with a larger audience or positively influence others is incredibly useful in our line of work. I am fortunate to oversee both donor relations and advancement communications, and I love watching the two teams work together. Donor relations professionals who can sniff out a good story and suggest story ideas not only make the lives of communications professionals easier, they also substantially add to the recognition and stewardship efforts of an organization.
Last but certainly not least, fun, a good sense of humor and collegiality are vital to those who work in our field. In addition to our normal daily schedules, most donor relations professionals spend a considerable number of hours each year working events or completing large projects. Stuffing and mailing endowment reports would be shear drudgery without fun people around the table. Imagine standing around for hours at a nametag table with colleagues who never make you laugh and whose company you don't enjoy. When it comes to donor relations work, no task is too big or too small for an individual. Sizable egos rarely fare well in an environment where commitment to the greater good must reign.
The skills of our trade can be taught, but the qualities that best exemplify what we do are often more difficult to spot on a candidate's application materials. As donor relations professionals we share not just our days, but also occasional evenings and weekends with our colleagues. We are already fortunate to work in a wonderful profession, so why not make sure that those we add to our teams have the qualities that will help the individuals, our organizations and the entire profession thrive.
With gratitude,
Kathleen Diemer
[email protected]
President
Women's Philanthropy
Michal Shaw
Assistant VP, Donor Relations
Director, Women for OSU
Oklahoma State University Foundation
This spring I had the privilege of attending the Women's Philanthropy Institute's DREAM.DARE.DO. Symposium on Women, Philanthropy, and Civil Society. As a "seasoned" professional, I've had the good fortune of attending many conferences and learning from countless experts over the years. But this conference was exceptional. The content, while practical and applicable in more ways than I have room to mention here, was also much bigger and broader than your typical hands-on and how-to information. The format involved multiple panels and a fast-paced atmosphere. At times, it was like drinking from the water hose. For me, this was the first time in a long time that I've attended a conference outside of my proverbial box. It reminded me of the first ADRP International Conference I attended in 2010 in San Francisco when I was inundated with a network of like-minded professionals, knowledge and inspiration.
Before I became involved in the women's philanthropy program at Oklahoma State University, I was acutely aware of the male dominated presence in leadership roles and on our university boards. In 1982, our female to male student ratio at OSU was 42:58 but our trustees didn't include one female. I presume this was the case for many institutions at that time. Fast forward to 2007 and 2015. In 2007, we had three females on our Board of Trustees. In 2015, we had five. We're moving in the right direction, albeit a slow process.
[Read More]
xxxDonor Relations & Stewardship Best Practices - We need your help!
ADRP continues to work in partnership with the Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP) to review and update the current suite of best practices for Donor Relations and Stewardship. We are grateful to former and current ADRP-AASP Best Practices Committees for their excellent work originally crafting these best practices and for keeping these important resources up to date.
Now we need your input. Draft versions of the updated best practices are available for comment by both ADRP and AASP members. These drafts allow all interested to engage in active discussions of proposed best practices, and we encourage you to participate and make your voice heard!
[Read More]xxx
Upcoming Events- Register Today!
Don't miss your chance to register for the 14th Annual International Conference! Join donor relations and stewardship professionals from around the world this fall in Las Vegas Nevada. The largest international conference dedicated to Donor Relations and Stewardship, your knowledge will help other professionals, whether just starting in the field or experienced in several areas of philanthropy.
Learn more and register >>
Donor Relations as Customer Service...
Kimberly Frick Arndts
Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship
Albion College
It was a cold and gloomy day as my new Kenneth Cole pumps sank into 4 inches of 3 day-old Michigan slush. My boss, the store manager for a local JCPenney, had just wordlessly shepherded me outside to the middle of the parking lot. Breaking the silence, he stopped, turned around to face the store façade, and in an ominously soft voice said, "Tell me what name is up there. Does it say Kimberly Arndts?" My stomach filled with warning as I replied, "No, Mr. D., it certainly does not." As he headed back inside, he simply said, "Hmm, think about that for a moment."
Like many other donor relations professionals, I didn't start out here, and count myself extremely fortunate to get a second bite at the career apple. Fresh out of college with a degree in anthropology, my first real job was in retail management, where I rose to become a senior merchandiser. I don't remember what I had done to necessitate the above lesson, but 25 years later, I still remember that chilly hand-slapping. It's not about you.
[Read More]
Guest Articles for The Hub
(We Want Your News!)
One of the many benefits of being a member of ADRP is belonging to a community of professionals that shares knowledge and experiences. In an effort to better serve our members this year, we are working to bring you content each month that is helpful, relevant, and cohesive.
We are seeking article submissions from our members that cover any topic relevant to the profession, including those that may coincide with one of the monthly webinars.
Please share with us your best practices, experiences, successes, or challenges related to this topic so we can collectively learn and grow. Articles must be received the month prior to the scheduled publication month.
Member Spotlight
Name: Jill Haynie
Institution: National Geographic
Position: Director of Donor Stewardship
ADRP member for 1 year
How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?
I began my Development career as a database administrator and event coordinator. Eventually, I transitioned to volunteer management roles and frontline fundraising positions, but I always knew that stewardship was my favorite part of the job. I liked building relationships with donors and finding meaningful ways to thank them and let them know how their contributions were helping. When a former colleague let me know about a position open at National Geographic focused solely on donor stewardship and communications, I knew I had found my dream job. I feel incredibly lucky to be here at National Geographic doing work I love.
[Meet Jill]
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