Vanessa Carta
Sr. Director of Development
Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester

1. What kind of organization are you doing donor relations in right now?

I recently joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, a youth development and community service organization affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

2. What’s a donor relations topic you’re always happy to talk about?

I passionately believe that thanking donors and showing impact are basic courtesies we owe our donors, aiming for seven gratitude touches before the next ask. Spending time and money on thoughtful stewardship is an investment well worth the costs.

3. What donor relations practice did you stop doing—and why?

I separated the tax receipts from the acknowledgement letter so we can issue receipts quickly and then thank donors properly in a more personalized way. Yes, this means more mail and more work for staff, but it forges better relationships with donors, and that's our higher purpose.

4. What’s one donor relations decision that didn’t work—and what did it teach you?

I once custom-ordered cardboard boxes in which we placed a gift for recognition society members. The minimum order was way more than we needed at the time, but I thought they would be evergreen. Our logo changed a month later. It felt so wasteful! Donors would have been just as happy with something simple, and I could have devoted the budget elsewhere. Flashy doesn't always mean better!