National Public Gardens Day

Over the years, Heurista has enjoyed working with a number of public gardens, helping to develop donor recognition strategy that is integrated with the overall visitor experience. Today we honor public gardens! National Public Gardens Day was created in 2008, by the American Public Gardens Association and then partner Rain Bird, to drive local and national exposure to the importance of building vibrant, relevant gardens committed to community enrichment and environmental responsibility through community engagement, sustainable practices, and conversation.

What motivates donors to give?

There are two key questions that we all want to ask and they both point to donor motivation. The first is why did you give to us? The second is what will motivate you to give to us again? One can be asked, the other should never be asked. If we are to demonstrate understanding of our donors, there are some things we have to figure out without asking.

Pre- and post-event communication strategies to improve the donor experience

As we all well know, the experience surrounding an event starts long before the attendee arrives at the physical location. Events should be designed with the pre- and post-event communication strategies in mind and the experience of those components should be managed and branded with care.

Storytelling, Engagement, StewardshipAnne Manner-McLartyOctober 5, 2016Communication, Events, donor relations, strategic planComment

A Campaign Communication Plan for Phoebe Foundation

The Phoebe Foundation is in a somewhat unusual campaign, at least for hospital fundraisers: the community is being asked to fund student housing. The Southwest Georgia Medical Student Housing Complex will provide flexible accommodations within walking distance of the hospital campus for students in a number of different healthcare residency programs.

Engagement, Branding, StewardshipAnne Manner-McLartySeptember 29, 2015strategic plan, Phoebe FoundationComment

Customer Service Does Not Equal Stewardship

For years I’ve heard references to the retail world with the insinuation that best practices in customer service were applicable to donor stewardship. Surely a few are, like acting with integrity, timeliness and respect. But a key truism – that the customer paid for a product or service while the donor GAVE without any specific promise in return remains an issue that needs to be addressed. I remain convinced that ours is a more complex relationship than that, and one unique to philanthropy.

Engagement, Recognition, StewardshipJeff McLartyOctober 22, 2014TD BankComment

Art Commission: Mission Hospital Centralized Donor Recognition Display

The tile framing the donor recognition components is the work of ceramicist and public artist, Alex Irvine. It was commissioned for this display and features the dogwood and cross icons long associated with the Mission brand. Heurista led the concept development, design, coordination and installation of this donor recognition display and continues to work with the Mission Foundation in developing new content for the interactive media.

Signature Recognition: Clemson University Fort Hill Legacy Society

Recognition, Stewardship, StorytellingAnne Manner-McLartyFebruary 1, 2012clemson, donor recognition, donor stewardship, cast bronzeComment