Fundraising is more than just raising money; it’s about connecting with donors and showing them how their support makes a difference. Let’s dive into three inspiring stories from King’s College London, UNC Chapel Hill, and Bentley University, each pioneering innovative approaches to donor stewardship.
King’s College London: A Heartfelt Thank You to a Young Hero
Imagine being a seven-year-old who raised over £1.6 million for the hospital that saved your life. That’s the incredible story of Tony Hudgell, a double amputee who walked 10 kilometers on his prosthetic legs to raise money for Evelina London Children’s Hospital, a teaching hospital associated with King’s College London. How do you thank someone so young for such a monumental achievement?
The team knew they needed to accomplish three things:
- Create an authentic, heartfelt, and personalized thank you.
- Make it engaging and memorable for a seven-year-old.
- Demonstrate the gift’s impact to Tony’s parents and family foundation.
How they innovated: King’s College London and Evelina Children’s Hospital joined forces to create a charming animated film, narrated by Tony’s doctor, that took Tony on imaginative adventures—from Chelsea Football stadium to outer space and prehistoric times. The film highlighted the life-changing equipment his fundraising would support, like VR headsets and 3D printers.
The Delivery: The King’s team used ThankView by EverTrue to share the video via email, complete with Evelina London Children’s Charity branding, a personalized thank you message, and a PDF impact report. The result? A delighted Tony and his family, who felt not just informed but immensely proud of their contribution.
UNC Chapel Hill: Streamlining Endowment Reporting
Endowment reporting season can be a daunting time for advancement teams. UNC Chapel Hill faced the challenge of compiling accurate reports, coordinating with stakeholders across disparate systems, and ensuring a consistent donor experience while working in a decentralized organizational model. Traditional methods were inefficient and cumbersome, often leading to errors and increased stress.
Two things were critical for their success:
- Streamlining the endowment reporting process.
- Ensuring accurate and comprehensive reports for donors in a timely manner.
How they innovated: UNC Chapel Hill turned to EverTrue’s ODDER (On-Demand Digital Endowment Reports). This tool facilitated collaboration, created a consistent donor experience across all units, and ensured secure, personalized delivery of digital endowment reports.
The Result: Donors responded positively to digital reporting, appreciating its convenience and accessibility. Internally, collaboration across the units and Central Donor Relations crafted a consistent process and reduced errors. The shift resulted in increased donor satisfaction and engagement, with UNC Chapel Hill strengthening donor relations and positioning itself as a leader in enhancing the donor experience.
Bentley University: Aligning Tradition with Innovation
Bentley University prides itself on its cutting-edge educational ethos, but its traditional, printed endowment reports felt out of sync with this image. Betsy Whipple, Associate Vice President for Capital and Leadership Giving, recognized the need to:
- Modernize the endowment reporting process.
- Make reports more personalized and engaging for donors.
How they evolved: Betsy introduced ODDER to streamline reporting. Bentley piloted the new digital reports with major donors, including personalized videos from Bentley leadership, and received glowing reviews.
The Result: Donors praised the ease of access, the professional appearance of the reports, and the personalized touches. Encouraged by this success, Bentley expanded the use of ODDER to all donors, including Trustees, who appreciated the new format and impactful videos.
By embracing new technologies and imaginative approaches, these institutions set new benchmarks for stewardship, ensuring donors feel valued and connected to their impact. These stories from King’s College London, UNC Chapel Hill, and Bentley University illustrate how innovative approaches can transform donor engagement. Ready to revolutionize your donor stewardship? Let’s chat about how you can bring these transformative strategies to your institution!