Participatory Donor Acknowledgement: Tell Us Your Story

 

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February 8, 2013; Source: Businessweek

Ask anyone, or watch the film About Schmidt; there is nothing like a personalized and handwritten thank-you note. The University of California’s Haas School of Business recently invited students, faculty, and staff to write personal notes to those who have donated to the school. The notes got specific about how a contribution directly influenced the writer’s education or work, says Tyler Wishnoff, a senior in the Haas undergraduate program who says he wrote more than 20 notes himself.

Wishnoff is a leadership level donor himself, which requires a minimum of a $250 gift. He tells Businessweek that he has access “to some perks, such as invitations to networking events,” so he may have understood the price of entry into some circles includes a “donation,” but what the heck? We still think that the concept is great.

Have any of you done something similar? We would love to hear about it. –Ruth McCambridge