On-Demand Webinar
Donor Engagement: Key Trends and Challenges
In the new normal of fundraising, the way we've always done things won't work. The best giving programs provide easy, engaging, and timely opportunities to make a difference. To do that, we have to change, and look at the donor experience in new ways. Fundraisers are questioning some of our time-honored assumptions about giving.
We like tough questions here at RNL. So, we came up with four of them that we've heard from fundraisers and advancement leaders:
- Is 'unrestricted' giving over?
- Are giving days really worth it?
- Does donor 'engagement' matter, because isn't it all about booking big gifts?
- Is alumni participation actually important?
Watch RNL's Senior Consultant team as they give responses to these questions and share new strategies that really work in the new normal.
About the presenters
Sarah Myksin, VP and Senior Consultant, RNL
Sarah leads the RNL Senior Consultant team to maximize the success of RNL partners and provide the best donor experience. Before joining RNL, Sarah served as director of annual giving at DePaul University, where she integrated new digital technology, expanded giving day efforts, and launched successful leadership annual giving and crowdfunding programs. Over her 15 years of advancement, she's also held roles at great institutions like American University, Point Park University, Georgetown University, and Wesleyan University, her alma mater.
Dayna Carpenter, CFRE, Senior Consultant, RNL
With more than two decades of experience in annual giving and membership development programs, Dayna most recently served as the director of annual giving at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), where she led a multichannel annual giving program that incorporated direct mail, calling, and innovative online solicitation techniques. In 2011, she introduced UMBC's formalized in-house student ambassador engagement program. Dayna also led the integration of development initiatives throughout UMBC's year-long 50th Anniversary Celebration—coordinating efforts between major gifts, advancement services and donor stewardship, alumni relations, and other campus partners.
Autumn Horton, Senior Consultant, RNL
Autumn has been with RNL for nearly 20 years and has worked with hundreds of public and private institutions across the United States in directly managing their engagement programs. She was also responsible for managing a team of over 140 full-time staff who oversee engagement operations for both fundraising and enrollment programs. Prior to joining RNL, Autumn was the Assistant Director of the Annual Fund at the Shippensburg University Foundation in Pennsylvania. She was responsible for direct marketing, Senior Class Campaign, Young Alumni programming, quarterly reporting, and managing a team of volunteers.
Michael Rath, Senior Consultant, RNL
A fundraising leader with a decade of experience, Michael most recently served as the Director of the Saint Joseph's Fund at Saint Joseph's University in Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he was associate director of annual giving and the Maroon Club at Lafayette College. He's also served in leadership roles in annual giving, athletics giving, and as a gift officer at Mount St. Mary's University.
Becca Widmer, Senior Consultant, RNL
Becca comes to her senior consultant role with a wealth of experience across diverse institutions. Prior to joining RNL, Becca was director of annual giving at Drake University in Iowa. Before that, she was director of annual giving programs at Rollins College, and associate director of annual fund programs at Columbia University. She also spent three years at the University of Iowa Foundation as an annual giving project coordinator and development associate. She's also been a faculty member with Annual Giving Network and presented at CASE conferences.
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