Dan Sassenberg, CFRE

Hailing originally from the sea of corn and soy that is Southern Minnesota, Dan is a nonprofit sector professional with over ten years of experience working in fundraising, communications, and management. He is passionate about serving the people and the organizations that make our world a better place!

Dan brings a broad base of education and experience to his work, including annual giving, major giving, grantwriting, events, development database and operations, board support, stewardship, and general nonprofit marketing and technology. Greatest of these skills, however, is his ability to see the big picture, and lead with wisdom, compassion, trust, and always a sense of humor!

One of the most important tasks of any fundraiser is to manage the emotional experience a donor has when supporting the organization. Regardless of the amount of a donor's gift, we need to understand the triggers behind it, how the donor feels after it is made (say thank you and say it well!), and how we're preparing them to feel (and respond) the next time we ask. Can we be bold enough to ask "How can we solve ours donors' problems?" instead of always, "Can they solve ours?"

We need to plan ahead and not pursue short-term gains at the cost of long-term sustainability. This requires us to have a thorough knowledge of the ROI of all of our fundraising activities so we can properly articulate the costs of improving retention and cultivating new donors.

People give to people. One of my favorite quotes in fundraising came from a major donor: "The reason I continue to give is knowing that you care."

Treat everyone with respect. Always put the donor relationship ahead of the gift. Support and encourage the people around you. Be genuine and accessible. Remember that every day you are making the world a better place!