Building Dev/Comm Bridges
Cooperation between Development and Communications begins at the top: with directors and VPs of these departments finding the goals that their teams share and prioritizing cross-division collaboration. Once that buy-in is in place, try some of the following tips to kickstart on-the-ground Dev/Comm synergy:
Build out review cycles
Give representatives from development and communications the opportunity to recommend edits for publications like magazines and substantive newsletters. Development folks can check that critical donors and initiatives get proper recognition and Communications representatives can ensure that the writing conforms to organizational style, tone, and word choice. This is also a good way to ensure ongoing communication and create opportunities for collaboration.
Rethink how you identify subjects
I used to go through every issue of a printed college alumni magazine, check to see if anyone profiled had received a scholarship, check that against currently stewarded donors for those funds, and then tee up relationship managers to share this coverage with their donors as an added touchpoint. But these subjects should be identified as such in the first place.
Try listing any named scholarships, fellowships, or prizes that an article subject received in their identifying information in a caption. You’re probably already doing this if you have professors, researchers, or staff with named positions anyway, and this simple change puts a spotlight on how philanthropy makes your organization run.
Foreground impact with donor stories
Let’s face it, a lot of donor profiles are dull. While some donors may expect to have a story centered around them and a newsworthy gift they made, others may prefer to be a key voice in a story about the impact they want to achieve.
Try framing donor stories around a fundraising initiative’s impact and include quotes from the donor that explain how they saw an opportunity for positive change and why they made a gift to effect that change. When combined with the voices of people who will benefit from this giving, you’ve created a story that:
Has broad appeal
Stands to win approval from development and communications
Positions your donors as the critical partners they are
Illustrates the donor journey for prospective supporters
Shine new light on familiar names
Do people at your organization frequently refer to buildings or spaces by “[Donor Name] Hall” or “The [Donor Name] Room” without knowing anything about those donors? Run a feature—or series—about these well-loved places that shares:
Information about the donor
Their connection to the institution
What these spaces have made possible over the years
Stories like this have general interest for your community, and they can be especially helpful if you have ongoing capital projects and want to illustrate to donors how brick-and-mortar giving makes an unparalleled impact.
