1. Know Thy Donors
Using Donor Feedback and Metrics to Drive the
Success of Your Program
Lynne M. Wester
@donorguru
Tad Wisenor
Whitworth University
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2. Why evaluate?
• Improve quality
• Increase accountability and awareness
• Prioritize financial and human resources
• Measure programmatic effectiveness
• Tell a better story
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3. Excuses
• We know everything
• Fear of evaluation impact
• We won’t use the results…we never have
• No one is asking for it
• It takes too much time/too many resources
• Just one more thing to do
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7. The Implementation at Whitworth
• Survey Monkey Email and Postcard
• Three Constituents:
– Alumni Donors
– Alumni Non Donors
– Non Alumni Donors

8. Methodology
• Survey Monkey was the collection tool used
• Over 1200 responses from alumni, donors,
and non donors of all kinds.
• Biggest response came from an email sent to
alumni donors 688
• Postcard mailings driving donors to online
survey were not as successful as email links

11. Just some of the Insights
• Stunning Data
• Unpacked the data in front of IA team
• Presented to University Insiders including
President’s Cabinet

14. Fundraiser Goldmine!

20. Donor Feedback in their own words:
• Please do not send us the annual report/calendar.
Huge publication, huge cost in shipping and don't
care. Want my dollars I donate to be better used
and not used by that money.
• Hosting events in locations away from Spokane
will allow for more participation and
engagement.
• By providing me with opportunities to serve that
go beyond monetary giving. How can I use my
time/energy/passion to serve the university?

21. The Next Step:
• Planning and Implementing a donor centered
future.

22. Donor Relations Groups to Target
• First Time Donors >$10
• Loyalty Donors of 5 or more calendar years
• Cumulative lifetime giving of >$100,000
• Planned giving donors

23. Whitworth’s Changes
• Added second full-time Donor Relations
position
• Moved open major gift position to regional
alumni relations outreach and engagement
• Broadened institutional understanding and
scope of donor relations within all fundraising
operations

32. Questions? Thank You!
• Lynne Wester
• lynne@donorrelationsguru.com
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• Tad Wisenor
• twisenor@whitworth.edu
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