The Art and Science of Donor Development - Portland, OR

Discover the art and science of building donor relationships that last—at The Art and Science of Donor Development.

Great fundraising is both a craft and a discipline. At this workshop, you’ll explore the research behind what motivates donors and develop the practical skills to put that research to work: closing more gifts, deepening donor trust, and spending more time doing the work that meaningfully advances donor relationships. Grounded in decades of adult learning research and real-world application, this experience moves between concept and practice throughout, so you leave with tools you can use immediately.

You’ll examine your portfolio with fresh eyes, sharpen your qualification instincts, and develop a disciplined rhythm for moving the right donors forward at the right time. You’ll also explore what it means to steward beyond expectations—building the kind of donor trust that drives sustainable, long-term impact for your institution.

What You Will Learn

1. Manage Your Portfolio With Intention Apply a practical rhythm for reviewing, prioritizing, and advancing your portfolio—quarterly, monthly, and weekly—so your energy goes to the donors most ready to move.
2. Qualify Donors With Confidence Develop the skills to read donor signals, secure meetings with hard-to-reach prospects, and make sound decisions about portfolio health.
3. Lead Donor Meetings That Move Relationships Forward Master the full arc of a donor meeting, from crafting a compelling organizational update to locating philanthropic passions and agreeing upon next steps.
4. Know When and How to Invite a Gift Use a structured readiness framework to assess donor and institutional preparedness before making an ask, and avoid the self-sabotaging habits that undermine even the best-prepared solicitations.
5. Steward Beyond Expectations Move beyond transactional stewardship to build the kind of donor relationships that inspire renewed and increased investment.

What You Will Get

• Full workbook
• ASDD Toolkit with QR code access to all resources
• Donor Commitment Continuum
• Portfolio Management Rhythm framework
• Donor Readiness and Institutional Preparedness Scorecards
• Personality Profile Tools
• Process for Locating Philanthropic Passion™
• Donor Development Chart
• Peer connections
• Applied activities using your own donors and portfolio
• Donor stories and real-world fundraising examples
• Group activities, table discussions, and breakout sessions
• Time for reflection and action planning

This workshop is being held in partnership with Oregon State University.

**If you would like to register but need to pay later please reach out to AR-Publics@hcg.com.

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