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Stephanie Rasamny and
The Evolution of Online Annual Giving
It's been more than ten years since Stephanie Rasamny founded MainSpring Media Communications -- one of the first companies to develop email- and other Web-based annual giving fundraising strategies specific to education.  A proud Duke University grad (aren't they all), Stephanie had a hand in Duke's first-of-its-kind video "flash" appeal back in 2002 -- a model that became a standard element of most annual giving calendars.  Bob and Stephanie discuss short-term blitz appeals, online ambassadors, mobile-friendly giving, and some of the other trends that have shaped -- and are shaping -- online annual giving.  
May 29, 2014

Dvorit Mausner and
Proud Penn Traditions
Dvorit Mausner has left her position with the University of Pennsylvania "Proud Penn Traditions" program for a new career in consulting.  Before leaving, she chatted with Bob about the goals and successes of Penn's efforts to teach a culture of loyalty and philanthropy among students and recent graduates. 
August 25, 2013

Marina Tan Harper and the
Growth of a Giving Culture
At the CASE Asia Pacific Fundraising Institute in Australia, Bob chatted with Marina Tan Harper from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, about the giving culture she has helped develop at NTU.  In seven years, NTU has reached 10% alumni participation, and 80% senior class gift participation -- numbers unprecedented in Singapore fundraising. 
October, 2011

Adrian Salmon and the
New Value of Recurring Donors
At the University of Leeds, Bob chatted with old friend Adrian Salmon about the rapid progress Leeds has made attracting regular (recurring) donors to the Leeds Annual Fund.  More than 2,000 donors are making small monthly gifts "indefinitely" to the university, and Adrian's data shows that their lifetime value to Leeds is five times higher than those who make "one-off" gifts each year.
May 5, 2011

Jenny Farmer and the Importance of
Before and After the Phonathon
Recorded live on the campus of the University of Sheffield, Bob chatted with phonathon programme manager Jenny Farmer about her use of pre-call mailings and post-call surveys.  Jenny makes a good case that pre-call mailings can help to encourage alumni to pick up the phone, and boost caller morale by eliminating prospects that weren't likely to make a gift over the phone anyway.
May 5, 2011

Annual Giving and Volunteers:
Opportunity or Oxymoron?
Bob Burdenski teams up with Leslie Hutchens, director of annual funds and major gifts for the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., to discuss creative ideas and strategies for effectively engaging volunteers in today's busy world.  Recorded live at the 2009 CASE NAIS Independent Schools Conference in Denver
December 5, 2008

Obama and the Internet: One Man's
Fundraising Experience and Your Annual Fund
Barack Obama pioneered a number of new Web-based strategies to solicit gifts and engage volunteers.  How do you differentiate a good Internet annual giving strategy from a passing Internet giving strategy?  Listen to a 5-minute introduction from Bob's presentation at the 2008 CASE Asia-Pacific Conference.
December 5, 2008

Bob Burdenski in Hong Kong
with CASE President John Lippincott
In the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education's (CASE) first-ever program in Hong Kong, Bob Burdenski explains the "Annual Giving Pyramid." The program starts with an introduction from CASE president John Lippincott
March 15, 2008

Jon Hysell
Director of Annual Giving, Hamilton College
on the successful "Leap Year Challenge" young alumni email appeal conducted by Hamilton College in February, 2008
April 10, 2008

Chris Clark
Executive Director of Alumni Annual Fund and Parent Funds, Carleton College
on the value of reunions and reunion giving to Carleton's 50%+ annual alumni participation rate.
January 30, 2008

John Taylor
Advancement Services Guru
on the correct ways to count alumni participation, and the not-so-correct ways as well.
December 12, 2007

Joanne Troutman
Director of the Susquehanna University Fund
on her use of pre-call postcards, year-end donor lists, and a name-the-sandwich-after-yourself young alumni appeal.
November 14, 2007

Bill Vasko
Action Mailing Corporation
In his first-ever podcast appearance Bill discusses his views on the future of direct mail, a suggested appeal calendar for the year, and some of his favorite appeal ideas.
November 14, 2007