Workshops

Have you ever been in a tough conversation with a donor? Some funders have very firm ideas about what you should and shouldn’t do with their gifts. Some funders want more detail about where their money goes than you could reasonably provide. Still, others have unrealistic expectations of what their funds can do.

Every fundraiser faces these challenges at some point in their career. A great fundraiser clearly communicates their organization’s mission and realistic expectations about capacity and impact, all while responding with poise and striving to maintain healthy relationships with donors. That’s not always easy.

If you’re interested in learning how to do this—or just how to do it better—this session is for you! Join Amy Yancey, UVA’s Assistant Vice President for Advancement, and Jason Chestnutt, UVA’s Director of Gift Planning, for useful insights into the world of one-on-one donor communications. Through a series of role-play scenarios, Amy and Jason will demonstrate situations that you, as a fundraiser, may find yourself in—and provide examples of how to navigate them. Focusing on some of the more difficult situations, Amy and Jason will provide tips for approaching these conversations and take questions from participants to provide tailored advice.