Kate McGuinness, what is the decision process you use to determine what methods of contact best suits your individual constituents?

At the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) Foundation, our staff is strongly urged to use our computer database by adding as much information as they can for each constituent. We believe that by tracking a wide variety of data, we can more accurately target donors and reach out to them in the best method possible.

To keep the bulk of our constituents updated, we mail newsletters, research updates, and event invitations, among others items, regularly by mail. We determine these constituents based on several areas of data, including biographical data, giving history, relationship information, attributes, constituency codes, etc. We can create different attributes within the system that allows us to track the stages of a constituent’s activity, which helps stewards to determine the best method of communication.

To thank our constituents who have given a gift of any amount, we promptly mail a tax-receipt and general thank you letter, which is generated directly from the software. We also run weekly donor reports so that we can extend personal phone calls to those who have made a gift of a set amount. We truly aim to bring all of our donors into our “extended DRI family” and feel that this direct contact is the best way to do that. These reports also alert us to any relevant relationship, such as with a board or faculty member. We can then inform that person of the gift, which encourages additional one-on-one contact.

Individuals and businesses that support the Foundation and the Diabetes Research Institute’s mission of finding a cure for diabetes, either by contributing money, time or resources, are very important to us. We believe that tracking as much information as possible can only enhance our effectiveness.

Kate McGuinness is Associate Director of Administration and has been employed by the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation for more than 10 years.