5A | Donor Relations: Cleaning up Someone Else's Mess with a Smile on Your Face

Thursday, Oct 1
10:30 - 11:30 AM

Experience Level
Suitable for all levels

Shop Size
Suitable for any size shop 

At Mizzou, we had a donor recognition brick project go terribly wrong. We took our donors on a wild ride of a plaza mosaic and donor brick project that failed on installation, languished for ten years and was removed by campus facilities late on a Friday afternoon with no notice. Learn how the donor relations team cleaned up after others (think artist, fundraisers, donors, Chancellors, Campus Facilities, a lawsuit...) Join us as we share what we did wrong, what we learned, how we would handle it again and how we ultimately solved the problem while making the original donors really happy.

Carin Huffman Grinch

Carin Huffman Grinch is the Director of Donor Relations at the University of Missouri. She is a 2000 graduate of Mizzou and, before joining the Office of Donor Relations, Carin spent 12 years with the Mizzou Alumni Association. 

Catey Terry

Catey Terry is the Executive Director of Advancement Creative Services and Donor Relations at MU. Prior to that she was a front-line fundraiser at the Missouri School of Journalism, responsible for major gifts and stewardship. She has her undergraduate degree from Skidmore and her master's in journalism, earned at MU.