Omni-Channel Marketing: Do I Have to Use Every Channel and Platform

By NancyJo Houk and Tammy Miller-Carlson

In an age where our communication channels, approaches, and even the words we use are constantly changing, how do we develop relevant, effective, and affordable communication strategies to drive donations, and how do we measure success? One might think this should be easy, when in fact, it is incredibly difficult. In our fast-paced, “always on” world, people are consuming more media than ever before, on a variety of devices, through a plethora of platforms, and with an ever-shrinking attention span.

Thirty-five years ago, there were only three ways to communicate with people—mail, the phone, or in-person. It is important to note all three of these channels are still important means of communication, and yet the digital age has completely changed the way people seek and digest information, as well as how and where they buy or give.

So where do we start, and how do we measure success? Email, the first electronic channel, was introduced as a fundraising oppor­tunity in the early 1990s, and the pressure was intense to add this channel to fundraising efforts. Everyone talked about it for years, trying to determine whether the time and effort would pay off (keeping in mind you actually had to pay to send emails back then). Was the additional expense incurred by sending emails justified and did it produce greater giving? Regardless, donor pressure to use e-mail ultimately won out.

Many additional channels have been added since then. Some people look at each as a stand-alone, siloed fundraising channel. However, it is imperative to develop a strategy from the perspective of a donor’s overarching experience with your organization. While some analysts want to attach success to certain channels, the objective is to see a deepening and strengthening of donor relationships across the board, in every channel. What we have learned over time is that you cannot evaluate or define the success of one channel when the donor or constituent is receiving information from you across multiple channels. We also know donors expect an omni-channel experience, regardless of whether they have a favorite channel they use to donate or make purchases.

Every single channel adds a different dimension and opportunity to the donor experience and increases the likelihood they will see and internalize something about your message and mission. The College Fund reaches out to donors in every channel we can, including mail, phone, email, and texts. We utilize digital ads through platforms like Meta, YouTube, Trade Desk, and TikTok; organic posts through Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn; and traditional advertising through television and radio broadcast, digital billboards, and other venues you see in real time, such as taxi tops and bus banners, that are not delivered via a device. The College Fund also reaches donors through in-person, face-to-face events, personal visits, and through any other means we can find and afford to get our brand and message in front of people.

Again, because people experience and consume media so differ­ently today than they did 10 years ago, it is important to catch them wherever and whenever you can with consistent messaging, strong visual representation, and with compelling, engaging stories. Yes, this is expensive, although there are ways you can do some of this work cost effectively. The most important takeaway from our experience is that when you reach people with com­pelling content and a specific call to action, they will respond. And increased frequency and broader media mix do make a big differ­ence in whether they respond.

The hard part of the story is there are currently no tools or analyses that can tell you precisely the journey you should create to produce the best outcome, as every donor and experience is different. Once you add a channel and you see people using it, you cannot go back, regardless of the number of channels you use. You also cannot assume that the channel a donor uses to give is the channel that triggered the gift. It is very likely they saw some­thing, or multiple somethings, in other channels and simply chose the most convenient one to make the gift. Most likely a combination of several channel experiences built the awareness, need, and desire to give, and the donor simply chose the easiest one.

So, what does all this mean and what are the takeaways? First, there is the importance of visibility—the more frequently people see and hear you, the more likely they are to connect with you. That is true for all channels. Second, once you add a channel, you are probably in it for life. Third, everything you create and produce for every channel should be cohesive, with the priority being to create a comprehensive, compelling experience for the donor or potential donor.

Although adding more channels increases expenses, cumulative revenue increases more. As illustrated in this table, the College Fund’s revenue more than doubled between 2014-2015 and 2024-2025.

How do we know adding channels is making a difference if evaluating each one does not give us a clear answer? This is one of the most challenging questions. Yet after several years of acknowledging the evaluation limitations of omni-channel marketing, longer-term data can be used to identify trends. For example, at the College Fund we have invested more money in fundraising and awareness, and we have increased the number of channels we invest in. Yes, it is more work to create content for multiple channels, and it is imperative that brand and messaging are consistent across all channels. More importantly, however, we know and have data to demonstrate that both expenses and revenue increase as you add channels. We also know that even though expenses across all channels increase, cumulative revenue through all channels increases more, which means that the cost of fundraising remains the same or actually decreases.

Entering the world of cohesive, omni-channel marketing and fundraising is not for the faint of heart, nor for the risk averse or those seeking incremental, conservative growth. Taking the leap requires commitment over the long haul, a willingness to take risk, knowing not everything you do will pay off as a stand-alone tactic, and the tenacity and patience to live, breathe, and understand the data to help you make your next decision. It is also the pathway to jump-start revenue growth today, and compound growth acceler­ation in all the years to follow.

Back to top

Why Visibility and Awareness Are Critical to Successful Fundraising

By NancyJo Houk and Dina Horwedel

Over the past 10 years, in addition to intentionally building a com­prehensive framework specific to donor experience, engagement, and delight, the American Indian College Fund has invested millions of dollars in visibility and awareness of both the College Fund brand, as well as Native people, tribal nations, and their presence in the world today through our Indigenous Every Day/This Is Indian Country brand creation and campaign.

Initially, we made the decision to invest in visibility to support those we serve in response to the pain and frustration they felt at being invisible in the world, which is also why we continue our investment in visibility today. However, time has proven that doing the right thing can also be a smart investment with a great return.

BRAND-AIDED AWARENESS

Visibility hinges largely on brand awareness. Market research told us in 2014 that College Fund brand awareness stood at 24%. After 10 years of working to increase our visibility, awareness rose to 38%. Translated into dollars, that meant increasing revenue from $17.4 million to $60.3 million, an increase of 247%, demonstrating the power awareness has as a fundraising strategy.

The investment in increasing awareness was not made for the purpose of fundraising, but to elevate the Native voice. Yet the results show the immensely positive impact increased visibility has had on the College Fund’s resource development efforts. Through increased branded visibility efforts, the College Fund increased the number of people who recognize the organization and its work by roughly 17 million.

What does investing in visibility look like? For the College Fund, it took two distinct forms. One was creating a completely separate brand, initially launched as This Is Indian Country but now known as Indigenous Every Day. The launch included a website focusing on historical tribal ownership of lands across the United States, showing individuals whose land they are now living on as well as informing website visitors about land acknowledgements. We invested heavily in a digital ad campaign to drive people to the website during the pandemic when the media was paying close attention to tribal nations and how they were weathering the Covid storm. The brand launch was strategically timed to coincide with the increased media and individual interest in Native issues.

The second approach was elevating College Fund relationships with tribal nations and the TCUs to position us as the premier national expert on topics related to Native education, TCUs, and Indigenous student experiences during the pandemic. We were also continually contacted regarding our perspectives on the black Lives Matter and DEI movements. To this day, particularly in response to the current administration’s actions, we are contacted by journalists as their trusted source for all things related to Native education. We are seen as a trusted resource resulting from our work elevating the visibility of Native people and the challenges they face. We tie their stories to trending national issues in the press by initiating broad marketing campaigns and by advocating for education. Our status as a national expert set the stage for greater donor and media engagement, resulting in growth in awareness of the College Fund and Native communities, which in turn led to an increased response to fundraising efforts.

by showing the relevance of Native histories, cultures, and experiences within broader social dialogues, we not only increased the visibility of the College Fund, Native students, and TCUs, but we helped people understand why supporting Native students and communities is essential. Creating this connection strengthens engagement, deepens relationships, and ultimately drives greater impact.

FIXING AND PITCHING

A relationship-focused approach to public relations media out­reach is particularly important when creating awareness about general Indigenous issues and how they impact Native education. The American public is often uninformed about Native histories, cultures, and the political dynamic that exists between sovereign Native nations and the federal government, making the public education task a tricky one.

School curricula on the topic of Native issues and histories are sparse. In addition, what people know—or think they know—about American Indians and Alaska Natives is often based on a pervasive national mythology that either demonizes or romanticizes Native peoples. Understanding this as a starting point, it was clear that educating journalists about Indigenous people and issues was the College Fund’s first step to informing the public. We needed to help journalists understand the unique issues facing our commu­nities and set the stage for why the College Fund does this work and what challenges Native students face.

We start with informational interviews, which allow journalists to ask questions and learn more about issues. In addition, these interviews offer us an opportunity to direct journalists to appropriate research, reading materials, and other sources. From there, journalists work with us to weave stories that portray our students’ unique lives in ways that are real and relatable.

The College Fund followed the approach taken by international journalists. Like those working abroad, journalists in the United States covering Indian Country face some of the same challenges. They must become quickly immersed in other cultures and governments and be able to explain the issues affecting Native nations. The College Fund structures its efforts to mimic the work of professional “fixers,” which are communications professionals who work with foreign journalists in a given country. The fixer explains the political situation and issues impacting specific communities in foreign countries. They introduce the jour­nalist to experts in the community who can speak in depth on the issues they are cover­ing. And they “fix” situations for journalists such as getting necessary travel documents and equipment in order or organizing transportation. In our case, we serve as fixers by creating access to TCUs, Native students, and pertinent experts. For the College Fund, the informational interview sets the stage with journalists for this relationship. We send materials to journalists, offer to set up introductions with students and other interview sources, and even suggest which TCUs to visit that offer programs the journalists are interested in covering.

Prior to pitching a story, we research journalists’ beats and serve up pitches of interest to them using an online database tool called Meltwater, which helps fast-track relationship building. The tool searches journalists by outlets, size, and type, distinguishing between broadcast, blog, print, and online mediums. We gather links to journalists’ published content and social media posts to determine if their beats and interests are a good match for the pitch.

Media pitches are tightly tied to trending issues in higher edu­cation. For example, recent stories have included the elimination of federal funding for science programming at TCUs, Pell grant funding controversies, and the distinction between DEI programs and programs serving Native student communities. Importantly, fundraising is never mentioned other than how it ties to the College Fund’s mission. News outlets are just that—they serve up news. It is considered unethical and unprofessional to pitch a story with a solicitation for funds.

Through increased branded visibility efforts, the College Fund increased the number of people who recognize the organization and its work by roughly 17 million.

For more individualized exclusive stories, we send out a query to our contacts via email and follow up with phone calls. Because of the strong relationships we have created with national journalists, they now often reach out to us directly.

The overarching objective of all story pitches is elevating the visibility of Native students and their communities alongside the challenges they face when trying to access higher education. By tying students’ stories to national issues, the College Fund sets the stage for successful coverage in top-tier media outlets. In addition, when a story is tied to a trending issue, it makes the story more relevant and all Native students more relatable to the public. The result is impactful growth of College Fund and Native community awareness.

Once a pitch is successful, the College Fund reaches out to jour­nalists to learn more about their story angle and to identify potential people of interest for interviews. Sometimes this can be handled via email, but it is better to try to touch base by phone. Conversation is the best way to explore more deeply a journalist’s ideas about the story, or even to help steer them to the work of TCUs and TCU students, as they are pertinent to the story angle.

After the information-gathering process, we work to help the journalist secure interviews—i.e. “fixing”—to prevent the journalist from “flying blind” as they seek out expert sources. This saves the journalists vetting time and leads them directly to sources that support the development of their story, such as tribal college presidents and faculty, leading researchers, and students and alumni. This approach has served as a great relationship-builder, leading journalists to come to us repeatedly for stories and input.

We also provide journalists with data to illustrate Native students’ financial need. One foundational datapoint the College Fund uses is U.S. Census bureau data that illustrates the education attainment gap between Native peoples and the U.S. popu­lation at large. We also use data to illustrate the financial need of our students, knowing economic inequality is a major contributing factor to the education attainment gap. This includes U.S. Census data about the poverty rate among American Indians and Alaska Natives; College Fund survey data showing the percentage of Native students who work and are providing the primary source of income for their families; data on the number of TCU students receiving Pell Grants versus the general population; and data on the number of students who are primary caregivers for children or elders.

All data is tied to our mission of providing Native students with access to higher education without directly asking the public for contributions. Coupling data with students’ stories helps connect people with our shared values and mission without a direct ask. It also ensures the news focus journalists demand, while illustrating students’ needs and making an unstated case for support.

MEASURING PROGRESS

It is important to benchmark awareness using metrics that demon­strate and measure progress. The College Fund does this quarterly and annually. Measurements include the number of top-tier national publication stories; the number of mentions (i.e. stories that cite the College Fund’s research); the sentiment of the story (i.e. whether the article was positive, negative, or neutral as measured by Meltwater algorithms); and the total number of impressions across media channels (i.e. the number of times an individual saw an article in print, online, in a blog, on social media, or heard a story in broadcast form). Through this approach, the College Fund has increased national and regional awareness of its work in major national media outlets such as The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Nation, and MSNBC.

During the pandemic, the College Fund launched the Indigenous Every Day campaign, which dramatically increased awareness and interest in Native issues.

TCUs can use this approach to raise awareness of the impor­tance of tribally controlled higher education and their economic and social impact. Using datapoints and infographics from the American Indian Higher Education Consortium impact reports and student success stories will create greater awareness of TCUs and their mission, and the great work their students and graduates are doing to serve their communities.

If you haven’t done so already, you can immediately start build­ing relationships with local and regional media. Write and submit press releases that share important news about your TCU and students, and about other important things happening in your community and region. Even if no one picks up the stories, you will be added to journalists’ list of potential resources for future developing stories—and you are creating content for your own social media channels and website while honing your craft.

Finally, think about and create a plan on how you can use social medial platforms to insert yourself into broader conversations with a wider audience. Start the conversation about devoting more resources to public education, public relations, and advertising. Visibility and awareness pay off!

Back to top

What’s the Story? Using Storytelling to Build Understanding, Trust, and Commitment

By Sarah Mehalic, NancyJo Houk, Karen Cheung, and Heather Sabo

Storytelling is one of the best tools we have to help the public under­stand where Native people are today and the importance of American Indian higher education. It is also one of the most difficult tools to master. Stories shape how people see Native students, TCUs, and the role education plays in sustaining communities. Most impor­tantly for fundraisers, storytelling influences whether people feel distant sympathy, active concern, or a sense of shared responsibility.

For many nonprofits, the goal of storytelling is simply to attract attention, elicit emotion, and inspire action, usually in the form of a donation. At the American Indian College Fund, we approach storytelling as a responsibility, acknowledging how building connections between Native communities and allies can impact outcomes in a profound way. We look for paths to create a shared understanding, inspire curiosity about Native students, and build trust in the way we serve them. That requires stories which are accurate, respectful, and grounded in the lived realities of our students and communities. Attention, emotion, and action flow from those stories naturally.

Effective storytelling in fundraising does not begin with a message we want to broadcast or a desired outcome. It actually starts with listening—understanding what people already believe, where they have knowledge gaps, and what values they bring with them when they encounter Native higher education.

EVOLUTION OF THE COLLEGE FUND’S STORY

Many organizations working to support historically marginalized communities emphasize poverty and the great needs of under­served people to encourage donors and prospects to respond generously—and the College Fund’s early storytelling was no exception. While these stories held truth, they also relied on a romanticized, simplified view of Native people and tribal communities. They missed an opportunity to engage donors and prospects in important issues affecting all Native people, like colonization, generational trauma, and economic discrimination, and they failed to provide clarity around the complex structural forces that shape Native students’ experiences in education specifically, whether cultural or political.

Over time, it became clear this approach could generate revenue, but it would be limited to those supporters inspired by guilt or tragedy. It reduced Native students to symbols of hardship rather than individuals with aspirations, agency, and futures. before pivoting, the College Fund conducted market research to better understand how a broader coalition of donors and prospective supporters think. We sought to understand what non-Native people already knew about Native people and American Indian higher education, what personal values they held, and what authentic narratives about Native students resonated most strongly.

What we learned defied what we believed we knew. Awareness of Native issues varied widely then and still does now. but most people agree with the importance of education and access to it. Information about individuals, not institutions or programs, resonated strongly with most people. The themes they rated as compelling were consistently positive: hope, strength, and possi­bility, with crisis being a secondary motivation.

Our approach to storytelling was transformed as we shifted towards a future-focused, strength-based, problem-solving approach—one that includes the donor as a co-creator of a student’s bright future, rather than as a generous person who gives to charity. Native students’ ambitious goals, unrivaled persistence, and invaluable wisdom were brought to the forefront, while also remaining transparent about the hardships and inequities they navigate.

BEGINNING WITH WHAT PEOPLE KNOW AND FEEL

Members of the public approach Native higher education from many different starting points. Some care deeply about education but know little about tribal sovereignty or TCUs. Others may be familiar with Indigenous issues but are unclear about how higher education fits into economic development or nation building. Many carry misperceptions shaped by incomplete histories or deficit-based narratives. Most bring a lifetime of perspective, memories, and feelings that must be considered. People encounter our storytelling from their lived experience, and some are more open to new information than others.

Before shaping a story, we ask several foundational questions: What assumptions might this audience bring with them? What values might we share regarding education, opportunity, responsibility, and community? What context is essential for understanding the story being told? What information should be included—or left out—to create shared understanding? Storytelling that ignores these questions risks reinforcing misun­derstandings or overwhelming audiences who will ultimately dis­engage. Knowing the answers to these questions will move people toward deeper understanding and closer connection over time.

The College Fund’s story has evolved since its inception in 1989, but it remains important to highlight the educational inequities that Native students face.

Centering actual student narratives in our storytelling is a power­ful tool, but it is not the only part of the story. A student’s journey or a direct quote from a student can be even more powerful when situated within a broader narrative. At the College Fund, our stories typically bring together three elements. First, there is context, or establishing the broad realities affecting Native students and TCUs.  Second is impact—explaining how scholarships or institutions are an effective tool in that context. Finally, there is voice, which allows students to speak for themselves about both the context they are studying in and the impact their scholarship or TCU is having. Context without voice can feel abstract. Voice without context can be misunderstood. Impact without either will feel transactional.

STORY, DATA, AND STRUCTURAL REALITY

Shifting away from deficit-based narratives did not mean ignoring structural inequity. Rather, a strength-based approach allows us to better highlight how broadly inequity affects Native students, the ways in which those inequities actually persist at every part of a student’s journey, and the need for sustained and ongoing support rather than one-time assistance.

At the College Fund, we ground our stories in real data, but the data illustrates our context, impact, and student voices, never standing alone for an audience to interpret. Data provides essential context and credibility, but alone cannot convey what education offers a person, and what a scholarship does in the life of a Native student. Why is a gift to support scholarships equally or more important than a gift to another worthwhile cause? That under­standing can only emerge through story.

By combining high-quality, trustworthy data with first-person narratives, we engage audiences with the same heavy issues deficit-based stories seek to address, but in a constructive, respectful, and factual way. Rather than asking people to respond to crisis, we invite them to participate in solutions proven to work, grounded in shared values and long-term commitment.

Student voices are at the heart of our storytelling, but centering those voices requires care and intention. Native students are not symbols or spokespeople for their communities. They are individuals with agency, goals, and boundaries, and they often need unique types of support.

Students who share their stories do so voluntarily and collabo­ratively. They review how their stories are crafted. They are not asked to recount trauma unless they feel it is relevant to where they see themselves going in their education or career. They are never asked to justify their worthiness of support. Instead, we focus on their aspirations, tenacity, and contributions. We recog­nize that to succeed as scholars, hardship may be part of their experience but must not define them.

This demonstrates a guiding principle: Stories should serve students first, institutions second, and audiences third. When storytelling honors this order, it builds trust not only with supporters, but with the students whose stories are being shared, this year and in the future.

When a particular narrative resonates, there is a temptation to reuse it repeatedly. Over time, this can flatten the diversity of expe­riences and reinforce narrow perceptions of typical or ideal Native students. To counter this, the College Fund intentionally varies the stories it tells. We highlight students across academic disciplines, life stages, tribal affiliations, and even varying degrees of academic success, from the student who has tried and failed and is trying again, to the valedictorian with high honors moving onto advanced study.

We share stories of persistence, leadership, creativity, and serv­ice. We demonstrate that success takes many forms and follows many paths. This variety communicates an essential truth: There is no single Native student experience, nor should there be. Native students deserve to be self-directed and able to determine their own futures. Storytelling that reflects this complexity invites more authentic engagement from audiences likely to support Native students for the long-term. And in honoring the dynamism and dimensionality of our student’s goals and dreams, we entrust our donors to layer what they learn from our stories and form a more holistic vision of Native people and their communities.

FROM OBSERVERS TO PARTNERS

The purpose of storytelling is not awareness alone. It is connection that leads to action. Stories should help people see their role in the solution. People give to people. They give when they understand how education changes lives and strengthens communities, and when they see their role as part of a long-term effort rather than a one-time response.

The College Fund frames storytelling as an invitation into part­nership. We emphasize shared values and collective responsibility, avoiding narratives of rescue or charity. When people believe they can be part of a solution, they engage more deeply and more generously, staying involved longer and growing in their giving.

As Native higher education continues to grow and adapt, story­telling will remain essential—not only for fundraising, but for advocacy, education, and relationship-building. Stories help artic­ulate where TCUs have come from, what they stand for, and where they are headed.

For the College Fund, storytelling is part of a long tradition of advocacy rooted in shared values and collective responsibility. By telling clear, respectful stories that honor Native students’ realities and aspirations, we invite the public to move from caring observers to committed partners who support not only individual Native student success, but the strength and continuity of tribal nations for generations to come.

Back to top

Direct Response Fundraising: A Practical Starting Point for Building Broad Support

By Sarah Mehalic

Fundraising is often associated with high-profile or high-dollar initiatives. Large universities publicize named buildings, seven-figure endowed chairs, and formal galas. Even smaller colleges may have staffed advancement offices and a high-confidence list of major donor prospects being cultivated for significant support. These targeted efforts can be highly effective, but they are rarely stand-alone strategies. In most cases, they are built upon an existing base of recurring revenue from long-time supporters.

That broad base of consistent support provides more than financial stability. It allows institutions to identify prospects from within an engaged community, and it supplies the resources needed to reinvest in growing your advancement program.

Many TCUs and Native-led organizations do not yet have this foundation in place. Dedicated development staff, deep alumni databases, and sophisticated donor systems require sustained investment and organizational capacity. In resource-scarce envi­ronments, these elements are often difficult to prioritize alongside core academic and student support needs.

Direct response fundraising offers an opportunity to bridge the distance between where you are today and an ideal future-state fundraising operation. It is the model most people recognize from nonprofits they already support. In plain terms, direct response fundraising means communicating directly with many people, whether by mail, email, text, or phone, and inviting them to give their support regularly over time.

When managed consistently, this approach allows a fundraising ecosystem to take shape and remain productive even with modest staffing and systems. For institutions and organizations building fundraising capacity, direct response programs are often a useful place to start because they are scalable—institutions can begin with a small number of communications and expand as staffing and systems allow; they are repeatable—once a pattern or cycle is established, future efforts require less effort to execute; they are measurable—even a few key performance indicators, calculated with simple formulas and tracked annually, can show what is working and where adjustments may be needed; and finally, they help build relationships—the goal is not only revenue, but long-term connections with people who want your institution to succeed.

KEY COMPONENTS OF DIRECT RESPONSE FUNDRAISING

Direct response fundraising focuses on building support from many individuals, often through modest or varied gift amounts, rather than relying primarily on a small number of large donations. Supporters are invited to respond directly to specific communications with a gift, and to renew that support regularly over time. Most direct response programs follow a simple, repeat­able cycle of fundraising outreach that reflects how people naturally begin, pause, and continue relationships with organizations.

In practice, direct response fundraising includes four discrete strategies that are connected to the evolution of a supporter’s behavior and pattern of giving: 1) acquisition—inviting new supporters to give for the first time; 2) appeals—asking current supporters to renew or increase their support; 3) stewardship—thanking donors and demonstrating impact; and 4) reactivation—inviting lapsed supporters to return. These activities function as a cycle. Supporters may move between categories over time, and your program becomes more effective as more donors are retained year after year.

Acquisition is the process of bringing new donors into a giving relationship. For TCUs, potential acquisition audiences often include alumni, community members, supporters of Indigenous education, and individuals connected to faculty, staff, or partner organizations. Acquisition should be understood as an invitation to a relationship, as it will not produce immediate return on invest­ment. First-time donors often give modestly. What matters is whether they stay engaged and give again. When acquisition is paired with good stewardship, even small programs can build meaningful support over time.

An appeal is any communication that invites a supporter to make a gift, whether through mail, email, text, or another channel. Effective appeals typically focus on one clear institutional priority, ideally sharing new or expanding on previously shared information. An appeal should explain the problem and the urgency and why that priority matters at this moment in time. Appeals also describe how the institution is responding, using human impact language, such as explaining the experience of a student or faculty member. Finally, good appeals make a direct ask for a financial gift that is framed as the best way for a potential donor to participate in the solution.

For TCUs, appeals are most effective when they reflect institu­tional priorities defined by the community rather than generalized fundraising language. Supporters respond better and are more likely to make a second gift within the year when asks for support are specific and varied instead of general asks for mission support. For example, asking, “Will you make a gift of $250 today to support Native students?” is very general and even a little vague. A more specific and effective ask would be, “Will you make a gift of $250 today? Your support will help get laptops and internet access to Native students struggling to complete coursework— students like Niagara, who drives 100 miles to a supermarket parking lot every Friday to have wi-fi to submit her assignments on her cell phone.”

Stewardship is another key strategy that refers to the practices used to acknowledge gifts and demonstrate accountability to supporters. In direct response fundraising, stewardship is not optional but essential to retention. Stewardship is one of the most effective ways to encourage supporters to give again and it does not need to be elaborate. Timely acknowledgments that clearly confirm receipt of funds, restate the impact of the gift, and express gratitude are the minimum standard.

As capacity grows, stewardship can become more elaborate or more customized. Robust practices including annual recognition, student thank you messages, and personal outreach can pay divi­dends as your capacity allows. Stewardship should also extend to problems with donations or correspondence. Even individuals who are calling to ask to sever their ties, discontinue a recurring gift, or to simply complain often recommit or even increase their financial support after being thanked and cared for with a prompt and personal response.

Finally, there is reactivation. Most donor files include people who gave once and then stopped. While many supporters under­stand the concept of giving at least annually, others take the timing of gifts less seriously and consider themselves active supporters long after 12 months have passed. Reactivation efforts invite those otherwise happy supporters to make gifts more often by remind­ing them of their prior support, sharing what has changed since their last gift, and thanking them for being a valued member of a community of supporters.

Reactivation messages should focus on how the institution’s work has grown or changed since the donor last gave, and how renewed support can help move that work forward. For institu­tions with limited acquisition budgets and capacity, reactivation is essential as it is almost always more cost-effective to retain a donor through this type of outreach than it is to acquire a new one to take their place.

Direct response fundraising invites supporters to respond to communications with a gift or donation. Such fundraising builds support through varied gift amounts, rather than large donations.

TIMING AND CADENCE

Concerns about donor fatigue often prevent institutions from communicating consistently. In practice, nearly all early-stage programs are under-communicating. Particularly in today’s rapidly moving news and media cycle, a letter or email in yesterday’s inbox is quickly forgotten, and reminder prompts are increasingly appreciated. Most early-stage programs communicate less often than supporters expect.

For programs being built from the ground up, even a single appeal sent to alumni once per year is productive, worth doing, and can be scaled up from there over time. If mailing more frequently is not possible, digital tools can often be used to fill in the gaps in this cadence, providing time for your budget and capacity to grow to support a multichannel approach. Simply be mindful that revenue results can vary widely by channel and that mailed communication will often have higher return on investment due to the older age of potential donors with capacity to give. Institutions with very limited capacity can begin with fewer touchpoints and expand as systems and staffing allow. Consistency matters more than frequency.

For a TCU beginning a new direct response fundraising plan, annual cadence is critical. For example, acquisition outreach to grow the supporter base should occur once per year, while fundraising appeals to drive revenue and build relationships should occur two to four times in that time frame. Similarly, stew­ardship communications to grow connection and retention ideally occur two to four times per year, while reactivation outreach seek­ing to re-engage lapsed supporters can occur once during the annual cadence cycle.

SYSTEMS YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START

While TCUs do not need enterprise fundraising platforms to begin direct response fundraising, some basic systems must be in place. At minimum, institutions must be able to accept gifts securely, record donor information and gift history, acknowledge gifts promptly, and produce simple counts such as total revenue and number of donors.

Clear internal roles—who processes gifts, who sends acknowl­edgments, who manages lists—are as important as the technology itself. Accepting gifts with no plan for how to get acknowledg­ments done in a timely manner is a certain way to crash retention rates the following year. Quick acknowledgements seem like paperwork but are highly valued by donors.

The better your record keeping of donor information and gift history, the better you will be able to customize outreach, ask sup­porters to increase their giving, and reach people even as they move or experience lifestyle changes. The simple counts you pro­duce are essential performance indicators to track over time to determine whether your investments are delivering net revenue.

While many metrics exist, early-stage programs should focus on a small set that indicates loyalty, efficiency, and growth. Even if your organization is only able to calculate these indicators once or twice per year, simple calculations of average gift, retention rate, cost to raise a dollar, cost to acquire a donor, and total new donors can provide a strong foundation to track success over time. These metrics do not need to be calculated for every channel unless or until there is the capacity and desire to optimize the program.

***

As TCUs consider building fundraising capacity, direct response programs offer a practical starting point. Because they are scalable, repeatable, measurable, and relationship-focused, direct response fundraising efforts allow institutions to grow a broad base of sup­port at a pace aligned with their capacity and governance priorities.

Direct response fundraising is not an all-or-nothing commit­ment, and TCUs have much of the expertise to succeed woven into the fabric of their institutions. TCUs can begin from where they are today, looking toward a more ambitious cycle through careful planning and deliberate steps forward. You can steward supporters responsibly with the care and consideration you already show to students. You can work to track results and integrate findings, just as you do with academic programming. Most importantly, you will have a successful fundraising program by building a sustain­able, people-first program that reflects your cultural values.

Back to top

Decentralized Marketing: Shifting Digital Behaviors and the Art of the Two-Way Relationship

By Karen Cheung and Sam Hoover

We’ve all been to that dinner party. You know the one—you’re cor­nered by a guest who spends 45 minutes telling you about their marathon times, their sourdough starter, and their very specific opinions on the local sports team. They aren’t having a conversa­tion with you—they are simply talking at you.

For a long time, marketers, especially nonprofit marketers, func­tioned exactly like that party guest. We had megaphones. We did all the talking. And we decided what others needed to know about our work, mission, and brand. If we were lucky, the audience listened long enough to support us.

When the digital landscape expanded beyond email, many organizations carried that same one-way mindset into new channels. Strategies that worked in traditional spaces like direct mail were simply repackaged for digital delivery. But consumers and donors are far more sophisticated than that. They want to be heard, too. The big question: Is anyone listening?

FROM BROADCAST TO TOWN HALL

Today’s digital landscape looks less like a billboard and more like one big town hall—a place where communities form shared values, ideas, and experiences. In this environment, the most successful organizations understand that their greatest value proposition isn’t just what they say; it’s how well they listen.

At the American Indian College Fund, we made a deliberate shift across all our marketing channels to create space for two-way dialogue. The pivot is simple, but profound: Stop talking and start listening. When you put down the megaphone and treat every channel, traditional and digital alike, as an opportunity for conver­sation, the results can be transformative. Each touchpoint becomes a chance to engage, respond, and build trust. Messages are designed for how people actually consume information in each channel, rather than trying to shout the same message everywhere.

Specifically, digital spaces allow organizations to be present in real time. By answering questions, acknowledging comments, and celebrating supporters (like those who host birthday fundraisers on our behalf) we create a shared journey. Donors don’t just observe our mission; they walk alongside our students and see themselves reflected in the work.

The payoff is powerful. We’ve seen social advocates in our community step in to respond to questionable or ill-informed com­ments on Facebook, defending our mission and praising the resilience of our students, often before we even have the chance.

Potential donors also reach out through social posts with ques­tions, and those conversations frequently remove any barriers to engagement. Through this simple, human exchange, social media becomes a source of “warm leads” and meaningful relationships—an opportunity many nonprofits and businesses still overlook.

WHY DIGITAL IS THE FASTEST PATH TO CONNECTION

If you’re still on the fence about a digital-first strategy, let’s explore why the shift matters. First, there is a low cost of entry. You don’t need a massive production budget, just time, consistency, and a willingness to be authentic.

Another advantage is presence without brick-and-mortar. Gone are the days when you need a storefront in every city to build visibility. In fact, the majority of shoppers begin their product searches on digital channels, with one 2018 study reporting this figure as high as 87%. If you’re not visible in digital spaces, many people do not know you exist.

Digital also allows you to test messages in real time, learn what resonates, and pivot quickly before investing in more expensive, traditional channels. Moreover, you gain direct access to your most loyal supporters and the curious followers who are one genuine interaction away from becoming donors. And then there is strate­gic tracking. Digital tools make it possible to understand a user’s journey across platforms and deliver the right call-to-action at the right moment.

THE TANGIBLE VALUE OF RELATIONSHIP

Some may describe the strategy of building relationships with donors as “feel-good” marketing, but it is really a business-critical strategy. A relationship-first, omni-channel approach delivers measurable results across your organization. There is increased awareness, as you elevate your mission within broader cultural and social conversations. You will see an improved organic search as you become a trusted, authoritative voice that donors and media seek out. There is also greater student impact, driving more traffic to scholarship applications and resource pages. And as you turn casual awareness into sustained financial support you will see revenue growth.

Awareness doesn’t happen overnight. The well-known “rule of seven” suggests that a person needs to encounter a brand at least seven times before it registers—and often nine or more times before intent is formed.

At the College Fund, our holistic, omni-channel strategy comes to life through targeted prospecting and re-marketing campaigns. Using tools like the Google Pixel, we connect the efforts of all chan­nels that drive traffic to our website and capture interested prospects. With a modest budget, we serve ads to website visitors who originated from our prospecting strategy, therefore indicating interest, or at least curiosity, in the work we do. These people who are already curious and receptive to learning more are then served multiple times to build familiarity and trust, using data from all our channels to craft messages donors are ready to hear. Once a desired frequency is reached, we again use data from conversa­tions and research to ask donors for support in a way that includes them in the journey.

Digital marketing is the fastest path to transforming casual awareness into sustained financial, emotional, and advocacy sup­port. It’s time to put down the megaphone, step into the town hall, and start the conversation.

Back to top

Cultivation as a Lever: How Relationship-Centered Practices Strengthen Support

By Sarah Mehalic, Karen Cheung, and Heather Sabo

Building on a storytelling approach centering dignity, diverse perspectives, and authentic voices of Native students, the College Fund turned its attention to a different challenge: to grow, the organization needed to sustain and build support over time through transparent, repeatable, and consistent practices. As an Indigenous-led organization, it was vitally important that each of those practices also remained grounded in relationship and sustainability.

Fundraising conversations often center around campaigns, metrics, and measurable returns. The cultivation of donors resists that clean definition. It is relational, even messy work that unfolds over time, and that time can be variable for each donor. Frustratingly, it can take years, not months, to measure the impact of a cultivation program. And yet there is an undeniable impact. Organizations with the most effective cultivation operations are among the fastest growing and most financially sound.

Cultivation is the foundation that allows other strategies, like story­telling and fundraising, to function as a coherent whole, supporting both deeper relationships and more sustainable financial outcomes.

FROM THE TRANSACTIONAL TO THE RELATIONAL

Historically, the College Fund’s fundraising, like that of so many organizations serving marginalized communities, leaned heavily on narratives of poverty and need. These stories held truth, but motivated donors in a way that was not sustainable. by relying on crisis and poverty to prompt an individual to act, it became too easy—desirable, even—for the donor to disengage once they made a contribution. by framing students through a lens of deficit and injustice, it became hard to motivate donors to grow in their giving and feel invested in positive outcomes. With no frame of reference for the massive potential of Native students or the limitless possi­bility of helping Native people and tribal nations achieve sover­eignty, donors were inclined to feel charitable, but nothing deeper. Factors that deepen ties and expand generosity like belonging, reciprocity, and partnership were missing.

At the same time, cultivation practices were limited or ad hoc. Impact was communicated through multiple lenses—whether institutional, personal, student-centric, or donor-centric—and without a throughline an outsider could easily follow. The result was information devoid of influence. To be sure, supporters cared about Native students and understood scholarships, but many struggled to answer the most fundamental questions a donor must ask: What is the problem? Is there a solution? And will my support truly make a difference?

Recognizing this gap, the College Fund began reassessing how to smooth the transition between compelling stories and attention-grabbing outreach that would earn us new supporters and facili­tate repeatable positive interactions and communications capable of making a donor want to continue giving, better understand the issues impacting Indian Country, and grow in their support.

TRANSPARENCY, TRUST, DIALOGUE

Foundational to this work is adopting a simple, straightforward, but more frequent approach to communicating with supporters. While many organizations hesitate to share too much or commu­nicate too often, supporters respond with overwhelming positivity and generosity to an approach with many touchpoints, different aspects to a student’s story, and ample data.

This shift to a cultivation-first approach reduces reliance on common marketing tactics or emotional manipulation that’s often part of crisis narratives. This disciplined approach allows institutions to achieve real fundraising goals and address structural inequities honestly without framing students as victims or supporters as saviors. Support, whether financial or values-based, is optimized instead of warped, an expression of shared responsibility and belief in possibility rather than a response to guilt or urgency. Today, cultivation happens across channels and demonstrates impact, one student at a time, while remaining transparent about how support is being delivered and why it matters for the future.

Transparency is a hallmark of cultivation that donors have come to expect and appreciate. Supporters are given clearer insight into how funds are used, the challenges students face, and how exter­nal factors, such as shifting social conditions or federal policies, affect educational access and success, whether in the form of a standard annual report, an unexpected no-ask phone call, or an ad hoc mailing that updates them on a policy issue. This openness fosters trust and curiosity, allowing relationships to strengthen and generosity to flourish with less reliance on urgency or pressure.

Cultivation is all about listening to supporters and honoring their preferences and concerns. It turns supporters into participants in an ongoing relationship.

Gratitude also takes on greater importance. Thank-you commu­nications are treated not as formalities, but as moments of genuine connection. Voice messages, personal phone calls, and custom out­reach reinforce a sense of partnership over time. Gradually, sup­porters come to see themselves not as transactional contributors to a random scholarship, but as partners.

At its core, cultivation is about creating space for dialogue. For the College Fund, this has meant treating every point of contact as an opportunity not only to share information, but also to listen.

Cultivation occurs across many channels, including direct mail responses, email replies, donor conversations, phone calls, mid-level engagement, social media interactions, and in-person visits. While the formats vary, the underlying principle is the same: Supporters are not passive recipients of information, but partici­pants in an ongoing relationship. Questions, comments, and concerns are given the same priority as financial contributions across all channels. Listening to supporters and honoring their interests, prefer­ences, and concerns strengthens alignment and reinforces trust. This reflects an appreciative inquiry mindset in which engagement is guided by curiosity and relationship rather than simply efficien­cy and revenue. Capturing some of this qualitative feedback is essential to creating a feedback system out of story and cultivation. By collecting, reviewing, and analyzing notes, transcripts, emails, and other information, we inform messaging priorities and out­reach strategies for the coming months.

THE POWER OF REAL STUDENT STORIES

The American Indian College Fund Student Ambassador Program was developed to help tell compelling, authentic stories that inspire philanthropy while centering Native voices. While these stories often inspire a donor to support the College Fund for the first time, they may play an even more impactful role in cultivation.

Predictable touchpoints with real students provide continuity and accountability, helping donors feel connected to the impact of the organization in important ways. Donor feedback confirms that thank you notes, first-person updates, and profiles following students’ journeys inspire renewed and increased support from our supporters. Many take the time to reach out to us directly to express their appreciation for this content, compared to the composite stories or theoretical scenarios other charitable organi­zations choose to share.

While the College Fund’s specific practices reflect its national role, the underlying principles of cultivation are adaptable to TCUs and Indigenous-serving organizations of many sizes. Institutions do not need to replicate programs precisely or fully to benefit from this general approach.

A successful storytelling and cultivation approach of any size and scope will include centering individual student experiences. It will tell stories about people supported by data and go beyond asks to share thank you messages and insights to lift engagement. A successful approach will report honestly on both successes and setbacks to build trust, it will create opportunities for genuine two-way engagement, and it will align practices for telling stories and talking to supporters grounded in Indigenous values

Cultivation is where storytelling becomes relationship. It is the practice that allows narratives to evolve, trust to deepen, and support to grow. At the American Indian College Fund, aligning cultivation and storytelling has strengthened donor relationships by grounding them in Indigenous values, transparency, and a shared belief in the power of education. For TCUs and organiza­tions looking to build more sustainable support, focusing on gen­uine relationships that honor students’ realities, invite dialogue, and create space for community can pay vastly greater dividends than the most technically optimized fundraising program.

Back to top

Major Donor Partnerships: Rooted in Relationship and Shared Values

By Jamie Schwartz

Cultivating major donor relationships is both a science and an art—and at the American Indian College Fund, it is grounded not in transactions but in shared purpose, trust, and long-term part­nership. A major donor is defined as someone who makes signifi­cant philanthropic investments that meaningfully advance your organizational priorities. Major donor giving levels vary widely across nonprofits, depending on size, mission scope, and the concentration of resources in the communities served.

What truly distinguishes a major donor is not the amount of a gift, but the depth of engagement. Major donors often make multi-year commitments, seek to understand your long-term impact, or help shape program direction. Their giving reflects a sustained relationship, alignment of values, and a desire to create authentic, transformational change.

It is imperative to approach fundraising as a relationship-centered practice rather than a transactional one. When you shift toward collaboration and shared vision you not only strengthen giving, you foster donor loyalty, advocacy, and intergenerational engagement.

At the College Fund, we put the relationship first and the trans­action second. Our values guide how we engage donors. We want them to feel known, valued, heard, and in a reciprocal relationship with us, our students, and our communities. Donors should consistently experience gratitude, connection, purpose, and impact. Writing a proposal or making an ask is the culmination of a thoughtful process of listening, learning, and aligning values—whether we are working with individuals, corporations, or foun­dations. We rarely send proposals without prior conversations because authentic connection and trust form the foundation of a meaningful relationship.

IDENTIFYING MAJOR DONORS

You will find the strongest major donor prospects often emerge from within your existing donor file. By looking closely at giving patterns, engagement behaviors, and donor stories, you can identify individuals whose values already align with your mission. A donor’s lived experience and personal motivations often predict giving potential more accurately than wealth indicators alone.

Utilizing information gleaned from research, as well as conversation, the College Fund establishes a values map for each major donor.

For many College Fund donors—particularly those who are non-Native and live far from TCUs—education is the connecting thread. One donor shared that they were the first in their family to attend college and wanted Native students to have the same opportunity. Another described being the first woman in a partic­ular program and immediately connected with the experience of being “the first” or “the only.” “I want to remove barriers for stu­dents like me,” she said.

The College Fund also uses research to understand alignment, not just financial capacity. Research will support you in identifying and connecting with new major donors by helping you determine what the person cares about most, how their experiences and pro­fessional priorities align with your mission, and what values guide their giving.

When conducting research on potential major donors, there are a handful of best practices that will improve your outcomes. Set up targeted news alerts using Google or Microsoft alerts to track developments in donors’ lives or industries. Follow trends from nonprofit industry organizations, such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and from periodicals, such as the Chronicle of Philanthropy, to understand what donors value. Search for donors’ past giving, public statements, organizational affiliations, and LinkedIn profiles. Donor research databases and directories like Kindsight and Candid can help if you have the resources to purchase memberships. And listen carefully for personal motivations shared during conversations.

The College Fund major gifts team maintains a dynamic “values map” for each donor. This map includes notes built over time through conversation, research, and observation. When you understand a donor’s values, you can foster giving that is not only larger, but also sustainable. When donors see their worldview reflected in your work, giving becomes part of their identity. Donors who voluntarily and publicly share their support demonstrate strong alignment and often signal potential for a long-term partnership.

INSPIRING AND STRUCTURING MAJOR GIFTS

There are several types of major gifts to support your financial and strategic goals. Each serves distinct purposes and comes with unique benefits and challenges.

Mission-aligned operating gifts help raise essential revenue to support core operations. These donor-facing opportunities are aligned with broad strategic priorities, such as student success, while giving you the flexibility to direct funds where they are most needed. Mission-aligned operating gifts are flexible and essential funding, but one challenge is that some donors prefer more targeted investments.

Programmatic gifts support structured initiatives tied to your strategic plan, such as internships, cultural programming, or faculty development. A donor might, for example, support a three-year Native student mentorship initiative covering staff time, training, evaluation, and stipends.

These gifts often require detailed program design, budgeting, reporting, and evaluation. For this reason, the College Fund prior­itizes multi-year commitments and ensures that program design is always led by organizational priorities. Programmatic gifts are substantial and a source of mission-critical funding that bring strong donor engagement. Challenges of such gifts, however, are that they are highly restrictive and labor-intensive to design, manage, and renew.

Capital campaigns are large-scale, multi-year fundraising efforts focused on specific transformational goals such as building a facility or endowing a major program. These campaigns require extensive planning and usually involve feasibility studies, cross-departmental coordination, dedicated communications work, and long-term donor cultivation. The benefits of capital campaigns are clear outcomes and strong donor visibility and recognition. Yet capital campaigns can be complex, time-consuming, and costly to implement.

Implementing capital campaigns is a multifaceted endeavor that requires significant planning.

Legacy giving and bequests allow donors to create a long-term impact through their estate plans without affecting their current financial situation. The College Fund works with donors to incorporate the organization into wills, trusts, or beneficiary designations, and stewards them as major donors during their lifetimes.

Bequests tend to be large and offer a cost-effective way to sustainably grow revenue when integrated into broader giving strategies. They are high-impact gifts with low fundraising costs, but not all donors are strong candidates for estate giving, and it can take a long time to realize the gift.

Finally, there are endowments, which are permanently invested funds that preserve principal and distribute a percentage of earnings annually. They reflect the seven generations principle and appeal to donors motivated by sustainability and legacy. Endowments are permanent and predictable funding for priority needs. However, they are not ideal for donors seeking immediate impact and they require balancing long-term and short-term needs.

ROOTED IN VALUES, STRATEGY, AND RELATIONSHIP

Across all giving strategies, one principle guides the College Fund’s work: Transformational major donor relationships grow from authentic alignment between the organizational goals and a donor’s values. When you clearly understand and communicate your priorities and invite donors into a shared vision, contributions grow in size, meaning, and longevity.

Major donor relationships thrive when you approach them with intention, humility, transparency, and respect. They are built on mutual learning and shared commitment. They are not transactions. When cultivated thoughtfully, these partnerships create meaningful change for your mission, your students, and your communities—today and across generations.

Back to top

Making Personal Connections Through Community Events

By NancyJo Houk

While many of us rely heavily on digital communications in today’s world, the benefit of face-to-face connection simply cannot be ignored. The ability to strengthen and accelerate relationships is greatly enhanced through personal, one-on-one conversations. As building stronger relationships faster has an incredibly positive effect on donor growth and retention, anything we can do to accel­erate donor connection and trust contributes to organizational growth by minimizing the number of donors who stop giving or who give less year-over-year.

Even as a national organization, the College Fund believes in the importance of being in community with those who support us, so we hold annual events in the three markets where we have the largest number of donors—New York, the Twin Cities, and Denver. These events all provide access to both Native chefs and Indigenous food, as well as Native art created and sold by stu­dents, Native dance, and Native music, all reflecting our mission of supporting students and raising awareness of Native people and cultures.

The College Fund’s Epicurean Award to Support Scholars (EATSS) events connect donors with tribal college students and Native cuisine.

There is no replacement for the opportunities donors have at events to celebrate together, meet those who they are supporting, and better understand how their support impacts individuals and communities alike. Face-to-face interaction also creates a bond between donors and your organization that is much harder to break. Events are a wonderful opportunity for us to express gen­uine gratitude and appreciation in ways that exceed what we can do in writing, by phone, or digitally. Personal interaction is unfor­gettable, especially as personal communication is so infrequent in today’s world.

You can choose just about anything to gather and celebrate around. At the College Fund we have chosen food and the arts through our Epicurean Award to Support Scholars (EATSS) events, as these are the areas many donors are most interested in learning more about but have the most difficulty accessing. Several TCUs, such as United Tribes Technical College, Diné College, and Leech Lake Tribal College, also host successful golf tournaments, which are hugely popular in their communities. Assessing your community and finding an event pathway that provides something people love but have limited access to, or love so much they will always want to participate in, is a great first step.

When holding events, it is important to be clear what you want them to accomplish and to be sure you can demonstrate they are doing what you need them to do. Be sure to outline your goals, both tangible and intangible, and always evaluate your success against them. Events can successfully contribute to several goals, including fundraising, community connection, and support, pro­viding a live forum for those you serve to share their stories. Events also enable engaging with local media, donor appreciation, corporate sponsorship opportunities, and more.

Once you design your event, you will need to start planning and doing the pre-work, which includes building a committee, setting a date, putting together a budget, finding a venue, developing the event program, securing talent (if needed), securing catering, developing a sales and promotion plan, charting out the timing and flow of the event, and more. Planning 12-18 months out is ideal, especially for venue, talent, catering, and promotion.

The day of your event is usually a bit of organized chaos and is a long day (or days!) for everyone. Securing volunteers is crucial, and tracking and documenting everything is also critical. And don’t forget the thank-yous following the event, being sure to thank participants, volunteers, sponsors, donors, team members, partners, etc. It is so important to leverage this facetime with peo­ple to create trust and build loyalty, so you must be sure everyone leaves with happy, positive feelings about you and your work. You also want to ensure that the experience is fun and seamless from the moment people walk through the door until the moment they leave and after.

An event is a lot of work, especially if you want to do it well and create a truly memorable experience for those who attend. While you can start small, you will most likely want to grow your event and the number of people who attend year-over-year, which just means more work! That should not discourage you but hopefully helps prepare you should you decide to leverage events to deepen and strengthen your donor relationships and your community presence.

NancyJo Houk is the American Indian College Fund’s chief marketing and development officer at the College Fund; Tammy Miller-Carlson is the chief financial and operations officer; Dina Horwedel is the senior director for public education and communications; Sarah Mehalic is the direct response marketing manager; Karen Cheung is the director of donor experience; Heather Sabo is the prospect researcher and manage­ment associate; Sam Hoover is the marketing manager; and Jamie Schwartz is the senior director of major gifts.

Back to top