In an organization an intentional and systematic path created to guide donors/customers/clients 'higher up and deeper in'  doesn't just happen by accident. Below is the approach and some examples of how I served in this role.

Helping craft a delightful and inviting brand experience in/for the organizations I serve with makes me come alive. I believe focusing on how we accomplish our mission and purpose is just as important as the 'what' that we are doing. So after the close of my social business accelerator, I leapt at the opportunity to solve another meaningful problem in the community and for an organization I already knew intimately and believed deeply in (my wife is the School Director of Doulos and I had previously spent 2 years serving in various capacities within the organization).

Director of Growth & Donor ENGAGEMENT | Doulos 

Identifying a need for a person focused solely on development and advancement, I was fortunate enough to have a hand in helping structure this position to serve our faith-based nonprofit and school and, more importantly, to serve our donors and fans.

This positions was specifically crafted with the goal of stewarding and deepening our organizational relationships — finding focused and personalized ways to move our tribe to becoming raving fans of Doulos and the work it is doing in the developing world. 

Approach: WHERE - WHO - HOW - WHAT

Where are we? Where do we want/need to go?

First, we took stock of where we were. What were we doing well, what could we improve upon. We quickly identified that we've been crushing it from a missional standpoint. In other words—we are doing an amazing job educating kids, equipping them, and discipling them in the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus. This is a result of the first decade of our school getting by on grit, and hustle, and entrepreneurial chutzpa.

But this focus naturally, took away from...As the organization grew, some of the details were falling through the cracks.

Mass to Individual. 

Build a platform of WHO we are deepening our relationship with, build a platform and structure for HOW we go about bringing people in our tribe higher up and deeper in, clearly define what it is we are/can be best in the world at (aka our 'hedgehog' concept and core brand message).

CRM

Brand book

Websites - philosophy about two websites: while generally two may seem more complex (and more complex often results in less understandable and less funded) we saw two distinct groups of people in our sphere of influence—local families attending or intersted in Doulos, and North Americans looking to build their legacy of service with Doulos Ministries. 

Primary CTAs to meet each: Give, and Serve (N. Americans), Visit, Apply, Get Involved (Local Parents)

General donor engagement and development/advancement trips

Raised: in both organizational and personal support plus various in-kind donations.

Photo credit: Meredith Donnelly