Mallory Erickson is a Faculty-in-Residence this week and we’re sharing our bonus Research Exploration video podcast for members, where she and Ryan go behind the science of her work. They dig into why the fundraiser, not the donor, is the real leading indicator of success, drawing on behavior design and the finding that most of the prompts that move donors to act come from us.
Mallory unpacks how stress reshapes behavior, from the busy work of a flight response to the perfectionism of a freeze response, and why practice, rather than another new strategy, may be the most underrated tool in fundraising. She also makes the case for operational transparency: showing donors the steps of the journey rather than only the destination, as a way to build trust and turn affinity into a genuine sense of cause.
Upcoming Member Events
Agora
Behind the Scenes of a Signature Alumni Event: Lessons from the Bentley Alumni Conference
A great alumni conference can do more than bring people together — it can create the conditions for relationships to grow, alumni expertise to strengthen the institution, and university priorities to become meaningful and relevant to graduates.
In this Agora, Allison Kerivan, Executive Director of Advancement Relations, will take attendees behind the scenes of the Bentley Alumni Conference, the university’s flagship professional development and networking experience, and share how it has evolved into a strategic platform for alumni engagement and donor cultivation.
Date: Thursday, September 3 from 12 - 1 pm
Faculty-in-Residence
For six weeks beginning August 17 - September 25, Speaking Engagement welcomes Mallory Erickson — executive coach, creator and host of the What the Fundraising podcast, and author of the book by the same name — as our inaugural resident.
We’ll have a final live Symposium event for members on September 23.
