Building a Donor Strategy That Honors Every Gift with

Описание: What makes someone a major donor? It might not be what you think.

Dean Axelrod is Vice President of Partnerships and Philanthropy at Direct Relief. His career has spanned business, law, and financial services. But the common thread has always been helping people succeed.

In this episode, Dean shares why Direct Relief moved away from traditional major donor definitions. He explains how a $25 gift can be a major gift if it's all someone has to give. And he breaks down how to balance gratitude and impact with confident asks.

If you've ever wondered how to treat every donor like a major donor without burning out your team, this episode is for you.

Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org.

🔗 Resources and Links:

Connect with Dean on LinkedIn:   / dean-axelrod-mba-jd-bb010071  
Learn more about Direct Relief: https://www.directrelief.org/
Learn more about Virtuous: https://virtuous.org/

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:53 - Dean's background and career journey
03:01 - How Direct Relief approaches donor strategy
05:24 - Rethinking what makes a major donor
08:19 - Shifting mindset around donor tiers
13:43 - Stewardship philosophy and the role of technology
20:20 - How to coach fundraisers to ask with confidence
28:28 - Balancing gratitude with making the ask
33:49 - One piece of fundraising advice for today
36:22 - Wrap up

Topics covered in this episode:
nonprofit fundraising strategy, major donor definition, donor stewardship, how to ask for donations, donor retention, treating every donor like a major donor, nonprofit technology, fundraising best practices, Direct Relief, responsive fundraising