From the Nominator

"Targeted constituency: Mid to major gift prospects. Specifically, ones who are unengaged and/or stagnant in the donor pipeline. This engagement opportunity is designed to energize and inspire them to be more involved.  

What we did: The Duck Stops Here is a podcast, produced entirely by the strategic engagement team within development, for the exclusive purpose of moving mid and major gift prospects through the pipeline. When we invite prospects onto our show, we strategically match them to an interviewer who is most likely to inspire them and deepen their affinity for the university. Interviewers include development officers, engagement officers, students, alumni, and faculty members.  

The podcast is created for an audience of one: the guest. The interview itself is a cultivation experience. The interviewer’s goal is to celebrate the accomplishments of the prospect, give them the forum to talk about the issues they care about most, and invite them to participate in their next engagement opportunity.   

Why we did it: We needed to inspire potential donors to return our calls at a time when other engagement strategies were on hold or waning due to the pandemic.   

The results: Potential donors from all corners of the world immediately and enthusiastically responded to our invitation to participate in the podcast. Of the 35 prospects that we approached in 2021, 33 responded and 31 said yes. That’s a staggering 94% response rate. Many had never before responded to outreach from development."

From the Judges

This is a truly unique way to utilize technology as a cultivation and outreach tool.  Wonderful idea and really impactful for those who answered the invitation to engage.