Design for the Rest of Us: Easy, Low-Cost Ways to Make Donor Communications Shine
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT
Speaker(s): Lesley Thompson, Assistant Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Harvard University
Competencies: Industry or Sector ExpertiseRelationship Building
Experience Level: All LevelsAll Levels
Elective Session
Many advancement professionals don’t consider themselves “creative,” which can make design feel intimidating or out of reach. This session shows how anyone can create polished, engaging donor communications—reports, emails, web content, proposals, donor profiles, and even video!—using simple design principles and low-cost (or free!) tools. No art degree required. Through real-world examples and before-and-after visuals, participants will learn how small, practical design choices can dramatically improve donor engagement, readability, and impact. Attendees will leave with easy, immediately usable ideas that make donor communications shine—without increasing the budget.