Why the Dos-and-Don’ts List Is Not Enough (And What to Do Instead)
As a fundraiser and intercultural communications consultant, I’m often asked to help prepare donors and staff for the cultural differences they will encounter when interacting with populations both within the United States and around the world. For example, if a group of donors from the United States is traveling to Ethiopia to tour projects they […]
3 Ways to Effectively Use Program Staff on Donor Trips
In my last article I cautioned you against overextending, burdening, and miscasting your Program Staff and Local Partners (the people who work for you on-site where your organization’s work is happening). Now let’s dive in to discussing the three most meaningful ways to make use of their skills and knowledge. 1. For direct client engagement […]
Avoid These 3 Mistakes When Working with Program Staff on Your Next Donor Trip
For all those folks in fundraising who are planning your next donor trip with the help from locals on site: this article is for you. Your on-site Program Staff and Local Partners have important roles to play—just not necessarily the ones you think. Support them by allowing them to do their actual jobs. Don’t overburden […]
Making the Most of Mixed Groups with 5 Tips
I recently wrote about how a donor trip can be used effectively with donors at any stage of the donor cycle. But let’s get real: while some organizations have large enough travel programs to offer different trips for different donors at each stage, many organizations only do one trip (or a handful of trips) a […]
Donor Travel: Is It about Acquisition, Qualification, Cultivation, Solicitation, or Recognition?
I’ve written a lot about having one clear goal for your donor trip.But what should that goal be?Are donor trips about acquiring new donors, cultivating existing donors, or recognizing recent donors?The answer is…all of the above.But it is helpful to distinguish your approach based on where a donor sits in the donor cycle. In fundraising, […]