Recently, I overheard a couple of Donor Relations staff sharing stories of frustration about how the Fundraisers in their organizations were so busy chasing the money to meet budget that they had no time for donor relations and stewardship. I was dismayed.

Donor Relations is key to successful fundraising, and today most fundraisers believe that it’s more important to build donor relationships than to follow the money.  

But I confess, over the last decade, I’ve become increasingly impatient with our sector’s seeming inability to consistently build positive donor relationships and deliver great donor experiences. That’s why in 2012 I was excited to hear about the Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP). I’d discovered a whole new cohort of professionals who believe in the power of donor relations to support philanthropy.

Established in the United States in 2004, ADRP’s purpose is to advance philanthropy through elevating donor relations and stewardship. In addition to the kinds of benefits you’d expect from a professional association, annual membership includes access to quality FREE monthly webinars, covering a range of relevant topics like “Individualized Donor Plans”, “Multi-Dimensional Engagement”, and “Best Practices in Collecting Donor Feedback”.

Most Fundraisers consider themselves donor relations professionals. They know donor relations is central to fundraising success. But for many, “chasing the money to meet budget” is considered a necessary short-sighted reality. And their time is consumed with doing just that.

A Donor Relations Professional is a Fundraiser’s right hand, collaborating with Fundraisers and others to weave a silver thread of donor touchpoints while the Fundraisers stays focussed on the gold.

In addition, the Donor Relations Professional can provide Fundraisers with the reports and support needed to move donor relationships to the next level, and to provide stewardship reports and feedback on the use of gifts already received.

Working together

If you are fortunate enough to have a Donor Relations person on staff, or (lucky you) a Donor Relations or Stewardship team, here’s a brief collaboration checklist to strengthen donor relations for successful fundraising:

• Include your Donor Relations representative at the table when you’re doing strategic planning
• Consult with Donor Relations when discussing stewardship plans (including individualized stewardship plans)
• Involve Donor Relations in the preparation of gift acknowledgements before you launch a fundraising campaign or send out a solicitation appeal
• Expect Donor Relations to be familiar with the organization’s Gift Acceptance Policy and get their feedback on how it’s working
• Consult with Donor Relations before you provide a Gift Agreement to a donor
• If not already responsible for database management, elevate your Donor Relations Professional to include database management in his/her portfolio
• Encourage the professional development of Donor Relations staff (all too often they are left out of development budgets)
• Ensure the organization’s budget includes membership in ADRP for one or more designated Donor Relations staff

On 10 April 2015, the first Canadian Regional ADRP Workshop – themed Culture of Collaboration – will be held in Toronto providing an outstanding opportunity for donor relations professionals to learn and network with peers. I hope to see you or your donor relations representative there.

Gwen Chapman has long been a passionate advocate for donor-centric fundraising and has more than 30 years of leadership and fundraising experience. As Principal of DonorFocus 360, Gwen uncovers ... then helps fix ... internal factors and external touchpoints that impact an organization’s relationship with donors and their mutual objective to make a better world. Email:Gwen@DonorFocus360.com Twitter: @DonorFocus360 and @TouchPointChamp