Tag: Fundraising

Episode 49 – Endowment Management,Fundraising, Investing, Spending and Other Key Considerations in Higher-Ed with Dr. Jim Reynolds

Episode 49 – Endowment Management,Fundraising, Investing, Spending and Other Key Considerations in Higher-Ed with Dr. Jim Reynolds

When raising funds for a new project, are you factoring in operating costs? What type of board and investment committee members do you recruit? How has spending and investing changed in 2022?

These are just some of the questions nonprofit leaders are asking today.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Dr. Jim Reynolds, president at Millikin University. Having worked in higher education for over three decades, Dr. Reynolds shares his experience in advancing an organization’s mission by adapting endowment management, fundraising, and spending policies to the current environment.

You will learn:

  • Why it’s important to raise for maintenance during capital campaigns
  • The role of higher-ed institutions in bridging the income gap for its students
  • How to build well-balanced committees with diverse members
  • Steps taken by Millikin’s investment committee to improve its ESG efforts
  • And more!

Tune in to unpack key considerations for nonprofit leaders today, in higher education and beyond!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Dr. Jim Reynolds on LinkedIn | Millikin University | Webcast: Mid-Year Capital Markets and Economic Update

About Our Guest:

Dr. James Reynolds is the president of Millikin University, a Decatur-based private institution with a diverse population of about 2000 students. Millikin University consistently receives recognition as one of the nation’s best colleges and is on Princeton review’s Best in the Midwest list, Forbes America’s top colleges rankings, and others. Prior to becoming Millikin’s 16th president in 2020, Dr. Reynolds served as president of Wilmington College in Ohio, where he led the creation of a new campus-wide strategic planning process. Over his career, Dr. Reynolds’ scholarly work has been published extensively and his classroom excellence has resulted in six teacher-of-the-year awards.

 



Episode 48 – Fundraising Strategies to Increase Donor Engagement with Brian Gawor

Episode 48 – Fundraising Strategies to Increase Donor Engagement with Brian Gawor

Fundraising, both on a small and large scale, can be difficult when markets are down, and there is global turmoil.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Brian Gawor, CFRE, vice president of research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) and host of the Fundraising Voices Podcast. Brian shares actionable strategies to boost donor engagement and achieve better outcomes for fundraising campaigns.

You will learn:

  • Six variables of the “fundraising equation” that nonprofit leaders should know about
  • How higher-ed institutions and other nonprofits can take a data-driven approach to fundraising
  • How this downturn is stocks might impact your fundraising and your endowment 
  • How to use AI-personalization to improve communication with donors
  • The process of turning small-scale donors into major gifters
  • And more!

Tune in to learn how you can improve your organization’s fundraising!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Brian Gawor on LinkedIn | Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) | Fundraising Voices Podcast | Amplify Your Impact Through Strategic Philanthropy with Caren Yanis (Ep. 36) | How Can Mission-Driven Nonprofits Improve Performance in Today’s Environment? with Sally Blount (Ep. 45)

About Our Guest:

Brian Gawor is the vice president of research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) with a background in student affairs, enrollment, annual giving, and major gifts. Brian leads actionable research and strategy to propel the success of RNL’s 1,900 partner clients. He’s a first-generation college graduate grateful to the donors who made it possible. Considering himself a dedicated giving geek, Brian strikes down myths about fundraising and believes that the best strategy comes from listening to donors at scale. Brian regularly presents at professional conferences, and you can also find him hosting RNL’s regular LinkedIn live broadcasts, webinars, and the Fundraising Voices Podcast.