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Art + Technology = More Meaningful Donor Recognition

By May 8, 2015May 12th, 2015All Posts, Commentary, Donor Cultivation

The campaign ends, the project is completed and the list of donor names goes up on the wall… 

 
Jeffrey D. ByrneBy Jeffrey D. Byrne
President + CEO
 
Over the years, donor recognition walls have gone from simply a list of names posted on the most visible public space to works of art creatively integrating donors’ names into pieces that reflect the personality of the organization.  People stop to read.  They look for their name and others they recognize.  But over time, fewer and fewer people slow as they pass.  The names fade into the backdrop.  
 
Now is the time to change your static donor wall into an interactive work of art that thanks donors, educates prospects and can even garner new gifts.
 
Donor recognition has always been an opportunity to splash your donors’ names on the wall and highlight the supporters of a one-time project in hopes of inspiring new donors for future projects.  Today, art and technology can be combined to create innovative and beautiful opportunities to recognize donors, foster continued support and tell your nonprofit’s story in new and different ways. 
 
By integrating display monitors into your donor walls, you enhance your story telling. A longtime colleague and donor recognition specialist, Larry Greenwald of Recognition Art says “these presentations are limited only by your imagination. Donors can tell their own stories about how they got involved and why they support your mission.  The impact of their gifts can be brought to life with video of your nonprofit at work.“
 
Using touch screen designs adds another opportunity for viewers to interact with your wall:  to look up donors, to discover more about the mission and those served, to see projects as they are built, to learn about current needs and future projects.  You can change your message to give visitors a reason to stop by again.  Interactive features make it possible for visitors to sign up for more information, share news through Twitter, Facebook and other social networks and even make a gift.
 
Donor recognition walls have always served the important purpose of recognizing those who are willing to support your mission.  Enhancing your wall with the beauty of art and the interactive features of technology makes the space more engaging – giving donors and prospective donors a reason to visit your wall again and again. 

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