This document provides guidance on innovation in donor relations programs. It discusses four aspects of innovation: the innovation driver, innovation strategy, innovation implementation, and assessment. It then offers tips for making innovation possible, such as fueling passion, celebrating ideas, fostering autonomy, and encouraging courage. The document also addresses common fears that inhibit innovation, such as ego, politics, security, and resistance to change. It emphasizes that innovation requires more than just ideas - it requires effective communication and strategy combined with implementation.

1. 1
Dancing on the Edge: Pushing the
Limits of Innovation in Your Program
@Donorguru

2. Road Map to the Edge:
• Innovation’s Meaning and Importance
• Aspects of Innovation
• Steps for Success
• Don’t be Afraid
• How Does Innovation apply to Donor
Relations
• Key Take Aways

4. Too Much Looks Like Everything
Else

5. Why Not?

7. 4 Aspects of Innovation
• innovation driver
• innovation strategy
• innovation implementation
• Assessment
• Good Ideas that Work!

9. Making it Possible
1. Fuel Passion
2. Celebrate Ideas
3. Foster Autonomy
4. Encourage Courage
5. Fail Forward
6. Think Small
7. Maximize Diversity

11. Salient Points
• More than just an idea
• Communication and strategy
• Creativity + Implementation =
Innovation

14. Fear is innovation's mortal
enemy
• Ego – I won’t support an idea that I didn’t
come up with.
• Politics – We will look bad since this is our
area of responsibility.
• Security — I’ve worked hard to get where
I’m at and this is risky. I could loose
everything.
• Success/Change – We are doing great with
what we have. Why would we want to
change?

15. How to Lessen Fear:

20. Failure = F+
• “For every failure we had
we had spreadsheets that
looked awesome."
Scott Cook

21. Innovation and Donor Relations
• Is there a better way to do this?
• Pause the Doing and Start Looking
• What are some ways that we can better
serve our donors?
• NO Cow is Sacred, Challenge Everything
• What is someone else doing that we’re
not?
• Is there an app for that?
• Making Innovation a Priority

22. Ideas to Inspire

25. WE NEED:
• More imaginative and courageous
communications
• All we need to do is to write brilliantly,
package it superbly, and to present it
in a way that will captivate, thrill and
inspire

32. Thank You!
• Lynne Wester
• lynne@donorrelationsguru.com
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• Follow me on Twitter @donorguru