The Future of Fundraising

Welcome to the future of fundraising.

Early and incremental learning and success are the cornerstone of inventing the bleeding edge of technology. Lauren, Bucknell University’s Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO), introduced on October 21, is doing just that for autonomous fundraising. The strong engagement and giving results our Version2 team is seeing for Bucknell is providing valuable insights into the key factors that will make fully autonomous fundraising shape the future of our industry.

Similar to many of our other partners, Bucknell started with an introduction. Bucknell’s Director of Annual Giving introduced Lauren in an email to the portfolio that outlined the AI-driven role and set clear expectations. Advancement leadership also posted updates on LinkedIn, generating interest and building curiosity.

The 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.

For our team working on the Version2 R&D Lab, analyzing Lauren’s portfolio underscored the importance of building portfolios that align with institutional goals. For Bucknell, the aim is consistent engagement and expanding capacity, while other institutions may prioritize re-engaging long-lapsed donors or first-time giving. Success may look different to each institution, but regardless of the desired outcome, the portfolio must be designed to support it.

Lauren’s impact in just two weeks is a testament to Bucknell’s portfolio strategy. A few early wins:

• Matching Gift Confirmation: Lauren facilitated a matching gift confirmation, often a missed opportunity in traditional fundraising.
• Payment Support: Lauren led a donor to update their credit card information, ensuring the continuity of a recurring gift.
• Positive Engagements: Lauren received 13 positive responses, building meaningful connections with donors in just one engagement.
• 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.

Have a great week.

Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) Closes Largest Gift To Date

Progress, milestones and transparency are at the core of how we’re approaching the research, development and deployment of the world’s first fully autonomous frontline fundraiser.

As we partner with the AI R&D Innovation organizations to deploy the Virtual Engagement Officer across portfolios of donors, we’re excited to share an exciting milestone with the nonprofit community: the VEO has closed a $1,500 outright gift, completely autonomously. This is the VEO’s largest gift to date.

The progress we’re making is having a profound impact on the future of fundraising. We’re so proud to be leading the industry in bringing autonomous fundraising to market with real, tangible and measurable results that will define the future of the industry. (READ MORE )

Can AI Agents Rescue Higher Ed From Financial Collapse? (Forbes)

Vinay Bhaskara, co-founder of CollegeVine, recently penned in an article for Forbes: The contrast between higher education and corporate America's AI adoption is telling. While 91% of companies expect significant productivity gains from AI according to recent surveys, only 40% of higher education institutions currently prioritize AI investment. This gap isn't just about technology - it's about institutional sustainability in an increasingly competitive landscape…

This shift isn't just about automation - it's about fundamentally rethinking how universities operate. By deploying AI agents strategically, institutions can redirect resources toward their core educational mission…

The institutions that thrive in this new era will be those that move thoughtfully but decisively to implement these technologies… In doing so, they may find solutions to both their operational challenges and the broader accessibility crisis in higher education - creating a more sustainable and inclusive model for the future. (READ MORE )

[Live Workshop]: Converting Monthly Recurring Donors into Leadership Multi-Year Donors

Thursday, November 14 at 2:00 PM ET

Securing a high volume of reoccurring monthly donors has many benefits. They are more likely to contribute year over year and make budget planning more predictable. But where do you go next with these donors and why should there even be a next destination for a monthly reoccurring contributor?

Monthly donors are a key group of contributors who may be ready for leadership or major level giving; yet, no one has asked them. Plus, the cost of processing monthly gifts - both from a financial and workload standpoint - can be cumbersome on your organization, especially if you have thousands of these types of donors. How can we raise more from this group of loyal supporters, without increasing workload to the organization?

Join Renee Quinn as we dive into practical applications that you can use to transition reoccurring monthly donors into multi-year leadership-level commitments, increase dollars raised, and build a stronger relationship with these individuals.

What you’ll learn:

• How to evaluate your monthly donors to determine who is ready for an multi-year ask and why
• How to position your communication and donor benefits so that monthly donors are encouraged to make multi-year pledges
• Strategies that can be implemented today to help increase year-end giving

Fundraising Jobs

Our featured jobs always come from our amazing subscribers. If you have jobs you would like posted in the Future of Fundraising newsletter, please email [email protected] with your requests.

• Associate Vice President, Advancement Services, Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement | UNLV | Las Vegas, NV | APPLY>>>
• Assistant Vice President of Advancement | Albion College | Albion, MI | APPLY>>>
• VP of Advancement | Coker University | Hartsville, SC | APPLY>>>