Five years and 200 conversations with top advancement leaders have taught us a thing or two.
On the RAISE Podcast, EverTrue’s President Brent Grinna gets to know the folks who lead the country’s most innovative and successful fundraising teams. After more than 200 episodes, we’ve uncovered powerful themes and insights from some of the best in the industry.
Read on for Insights from 200: our roundup of what advancement’s top leaders care about.
"What is your motto?"
"How did you get into advancement?"
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What is your most memorable gift story?
“Meyer and Renee Luskin, who made a transformative gift to UCLA in 2011. Meyer’s donation helped endow the School of Public Policy and fund the construction of a conference center on campus. This donation transformed the campus—I see people coming together and meeting there all the time. When speaking on why Meyer Luskin gave the gift, he said, ‘What good is a healthy body if it doesn’t live in a healthy society’. This is someone who came to this university needing a scholarship for $30 to pay his tuition, and to turn around then be able to give a hundred million dollar gift and then some, is incredible.”
Rhea Turtletaub, University of California, Los Angeles, Episode 174
“I worked on a campaign to replace cabins at a 4H camp. One day, when no campers were around, I noticed a single man was walking around camp. The man met with the camp director and explained that his wife had recently passed and he had come back to camp because that was where they met. He offered to fund one of the 25 cabins we were raising money for. “
Lynette Marshall, University of Iowa, Episode 27
“I had the honor of working with a donor who made an estate gift that set up the Ohio Innocence project to be funded in perpetuity. Soon after making the gift, he got to meet with a 35+ year wrongly-convicted exoneree, whose release from prison was made possible by his gift.”
Rod Grabowski, University of Central Florida, Episode 119
“Every year we help a donor pay off a future teacher’s student debt. There is never a dry eye in the room when he meets the student for the first time and tells them that he is paying off their debt. It is so inspiring.”
Blaire Atkinson, Oklahoma State University, Episode 101
“One gift story that will always stand out to me is from a family who lost their son to testicular cancer in his freshman year. He loved the university so much – and they wanted to establish a scholarship but couldn’t afford it. A family member called me and anonymously stepped up. Now they have a New Year’s Eve fundraiser every year to support the scholarship. I never met the young man but I think of him often – his motto was ‘livin’ the dream.’ “
What have you worked on recently that you're most proud of?
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Where do you find inspiration for your work?
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It is bigger than me."
Where is the industry over-investing
- Legacy systems
- Big events
- Siloed fundraising
- Travel
- Consultants
Where is the industry under-investing
- Talent on-ramps
- Smart technology
- Data analysis
- Innovation
- Stewardship
What's the next step forward for the industry?
"Are you hiring?"
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What skills do you look for in team members?
Teamwork
Several leaders gave shoutouts to those who have led through challenging times, praising them for their selflessness, guidance, support, and deep empathy.
Innovation and creativity
Leaders reported that they need more folks who can come up with great ideas AND put those ideas into action.
Adaptability
Leaders emphasized the importance of being nimble and iterative to modernize fundraising practices.
High Achievers
Many leaders acknowledged the high-performers on their team who have consistently met and outperformed goals and metrics.
Humility
Many mentioned the desire for colleagues that have the humility and willingness to listen and learn.
Top 5 most listened to RAISE Podcast episodes
Episode 1
For our very first episode of The RAISE Podcast, Brent sat down with John Morris, former Senior Vice President of Development at Kansas State University Foundation and current Senior VP of Development at Texas A&M. John shares his approach to building high-performing gift officer teams, how to reimagine phonathon strategies by adopting ideas from outside the industry, and leadership principles that have driven fundraising growth throughout his career.
Episode 200
On the 200th episode of the RAISE Podcast, Brent hosts Brian Hastings, President and CEO of the University of Nebraska Foundation. Brian discusses his leadership journey, team culture, and the role of personalized communication in advancing philanthropy at Nebraska.