Speaking
Keynote Speaker, Lynne Wester
Lynne Wester strongly believes that donor relations is the key to unlocking fundraising success and that organizations must be as dedicated to the donor experience — or DX — as they are to the ask itself. Known for positively disrupting the status quo, Lynne helps organizations when they need it the most – when crisis or opportunity arrive.
Lynne and her teammates at The DRG Group partner with nonprofits large and small on a variety of initiatives from developing sound strategy and vision to utilizing technology and creating meaningful donor engagement - all designed to positively impact the fundraising bottom line. In addition, she is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, access, justice and belonging — especially in the fundraising and nonprofit sector.
Lynne regularly contributes to national publications such as the Washington Post, Chronicle of Philanthropy, and CASE Currents as a subject matter expert. She is a four-time author and has contributed to two other books. She also hosts the number one nonprofit podcast in the world — Fundraising is Funny — alongside T. Clay Buck, CFRE.
Lynne delivers thought-provoking fundraising lessons with a keen focus on the donor experience, internationally known as the industry expert on donor relations. Her southern accent and crucial honesty resonate in rooms large and small.
Lynne received her B.A. from the University of South Carolina, holds a Masters in Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy from BayPath University, and proudly sports a DUCKtorate from the Disney Institute. She volunteers at many nonprofits and serves on the University of South Carolina board.
Keynote Topics
How Creative Thank Yous and Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude Can Boost Fundraising
Think Different - Creating Innovation and Fueling Change
Balancing Act - Recognizing Donors through a DEI Lens
“Fundraising is Life” - How to Reenergize Yourself and Your Fundraising
What People Are Saying
"The workshop was fantastic and everyone was so excited and energized! We are already receiving positive feedback from the attendees! It was a great workshop and I am definitely planning to implement many of your ideas for donor relations. I look forward to having you back!"
- AFP Arkansas Chapter
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"Hands down the best session I have been to yet. It resonated so deeply. I want to send it to my leadership immediately with only exclamation marks because there are no words that I have that can contribute!!" - Nonprofit Marketing Summit, 2022
"Absolutely phenomenal. Would have paid extra for this. Extremely engaging, presenter was amazingly humble considering her top-tier expertise. This is your next keynote speaker."
- AFP ICON, 2022
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"Lynne is simply the queen of donor relations. Period. I hung on every word of this presentation and ordered the book she mentioned from my seat because I know if she is recommending it, it is going to be good. I’ve followed her for years and appreciate how generous she always is with her examples. She is the Queen, but she has no ego and truly wants all non profits to do better by their donors and as a result, raise more money for their missions."
- AFP ICON, 2022
"We are still riding the high from DRG's visit here. We sent our staff a post-workshop survey and the feedback is great...our team absolutely absorbed what you were presenting and explaining. In particular, most respondents commented that they think we need to thank our donors more often, do a better job of recognizing donor behavior (not just giving amount), and that we need to focus more on our long-term relationships with our donors."
- University of Calgary, Team Training
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"You took a room full of people and breathed so much life and hope into how they see their work. This is all kinds of inspiring and refreshing, because it IS privileged work, and with a little heart and ambition injected in the masses, there's not simply a whole lot of potential for what we can do, but a bunch of fun to be had along the way. Thanks for the laughs and for assisting with the removal of the biggest roadblock we had."
- University of Alberta, Team Training
What to Expect
Training is more than learning. It is engaging, inspiring, and motivating our teams to stretch them beyond the perceived barriers. It is more than a lecture. It is an experience. Whether your team needs a reboot or your leadership needs essential fundraising tools, let DRG deliver your next training experience. Highly customizable to your organization’s needs and goals, we can walk you through the entire process from content development, to creating unique activities, to delivering world-class training programs when and where you need it.
Learning should be fun and each team has its own synergy and learning style. We don’t just throw information at you, we partner with our clients to develop educational programs that keep brains engaged and employees motivated – ultimately better preparing them for their role in helping your organization reach its goals.
When you hire the DRG Group to fulfill your training needs you can expect:
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Absolute customization
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Content specialization by topic
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Maximum flexibility
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Access to your DRG trainers
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Variety of delivery methods – remote, in-person, webinars, workshops, retreats, conferences, 1:1, or 1:1,000!
Enlist DRG to help deliver your training programs – it will be an experience your team won’t soon forget!
Session Topics Include:
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The 4 Pillars of Donor Relations
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Acknowledgment Best Practices
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Behavior-Based Donor Relations
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Building a Donor Experience Strategy
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Building or Rebuilding Comprehensive Reporting Programs
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Building or Rebuilding Your Donor Relations Program
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Campaign Planning for the Donor Experience
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Centralizing Teams, Programs, and Processes
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Change Management
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Creating a Culture of Gratitude in Your Organization
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Data Storytelling
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DEI in Donor Relations
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Attracting Diverse Talent to Your Team
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Inclusive Practices in Donor Relations
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Making Your Communications More Inclusive
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Over-Restricting is NOT Donor Centered
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Readjusting the Scholarship Recipient Experience​
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Recognizing Donors Through a DEI Lens
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Understanding Your LGBTQIA+ Donors
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​Data Driven Decision Making
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Developing and Growing Your Donor Relations Team
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Donor Communications
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Donor Engagement: A Holistic Approach
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Donor Surveys
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Evaluating and Reinventing Donor Events
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Evaluating Your Donor Relations Through Metrics That Promote Fundraising
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First-Time Donor Retention
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Hiring and Coaching Staff
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How to Reenergize Yourself and Your Fundraising
- How to Show Impact
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Implementing Behavior-Based Donor Relations Programs
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Implementing a High-End Donor Relations Program
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Individual Stewardship Plans
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Leadership Development
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Leadership Transition
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Parent Fundraising
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Purpose-Driven Events
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Reinforcing Your Brand Identity
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Reporting 101
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Revitalizing Your Endowment Reports
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Strategic Planning
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Student Philanthropy Education and Gratitude Programs
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Tiered Reporting
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The Donor Experience (DX)
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Understanding and Undertaking Financial Fund Stewardship
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Writing Digital and Social Media Content that Resonates
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And many more!
Want DRG to inspire your audience?
Attendees leave our presentations with tangible takeaways, renewed energy, and the ability to affect change in their organizations. Our most common evaluation feedback is attendees begging for more. We present on many topics related to the donor experience, team building, and executive leadership.