1. Donor and Member Retention
through Donor Relations
Lynne M. Wester
@donorguru
Director of Stewardship and Donor Recognition
Yeshiva University

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Donor Recognition and Stewardship
• Is there a better way to do this?
• What are some ways that we can better
serve our donors?
• What is someone else doing that we’re
not?
• Is there an app for that?
• Making Innovation a Priority
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4. Who are we talking about?
• High Level Annual Donors
• People Falling through the Cracks
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5. The Facts, Just the Facts
What is your retention rate?
• At YU we went from 48% to 72% in three years
of concentrated donor relations efforts
• What would a 10% increase in retention mean
to your organization?
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6. The “Blanket” Approach
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7. Data Analysis and Leveling
• A. Donors of 25K- 100K TPF for the previous FY or
Cumulative Lifetime TPF of 100K to 1 Million
• B. Donors of 100K-500K TPF for the previous FY or
Cumulative Lifetime TPF of 1 Million plus
• TPF= Total Philanthropic Funds=Cash+Pledges
• A.734 constituents
• B.186 constituents
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8. Other Groups Added
• Loyalty Donors
• First Time Donors
• Anyone who needs extra touch and care
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9. Calendar Approach
• August- Thank You Postcard
• September- Rosh Hashanah email greeting
• October- Phone Call from Student
• November- Donor Recognition Event
• December- Hanukkah Postcard
• January- Invitations to YU Museum Event
• February- Hand Written Note
• March- Pesach Postcard
• April- Impact of Giving Report
• May- Commencement Invitation and Webcast
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11. Impact Piece
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12. Impact Piece
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13. Postcards
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15. Emails
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44% open Rate!

16. Thank a Donor Week
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17. Building Updates
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18. Video
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19. Thank a Thon
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20. Website
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21. Questions? Comments
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• Lynne Wester
• wester@yu.edu
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• Friend me on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter @donorguru