Autonomous Fundraising's Major Impact for Bucknell University in Less Than Two Weeks On The JobThe introduction framed Lauren as enhancement, not replacement for human fundraisers, and Bucknell further personalized the experience by inviting direct feedback from donors—positioning them as collaborators in their innovation.
The second key ingredient driving results with Bucknell is a carefully constructed portfolio. Lauren’s portfolio includes many recent, active donors and former major donors now in longer-term stewardship. These individuals regularly give at levels that fall outside of major gift officer portfolios, but their pattern of engagement shows a strong connection to the Bucknell community. The combination of these demographics gave Lauren the opportunity to bridge the gap between major gifts and annual giving by immediately engaging donors with a demonstrated interest in supporting the university and offering them more personalized outreach.
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Matching Gift Confirmation: Lauren facilitated a matching gift confirmation, often a missed opportunity in traditional fundraising.
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Payment Support: Lauren led a donor to update their credit card information, ensuring the continuity of a recurring gift.
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Positive Engagements: Lauren received 13 positive responses, building meaningful connections with donors in just one engagement.
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Financial Impact: Lauren’s portfolio generated over $18,000 in gifts—a strong indication of VEO potential in renewing and upgrading giving from warm portfolios.
Lauren’s journey serves as a reminder of the importance of aligning the Virtual Engagement Officers' portfolios with our partners’ goals, while leveraging the expertise of our team of former fundraisers at Givzey — to facilitate in-depth conversations and provide guidance where we can.
Each rollout teaches us more about how to refine VEO capabilities and incorporate fundraising best practices that continue to build the most experienced fundraiser in the world.
