Becca Robinson Widmer
Des Moines,IA
Summary
Achievement-oriented, innovative, and experienced fundraising leader with unique industry expertise and demonstrated success in a wealth of development techniques for higher education, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President and Senior Consultant
Ruffalo Noel Levitz
05.2022 - Current
- Manages up to 25 higher education, health care, and non-profit clients annually, providing holistic strategic direction and navigating complex multi-unit relationships.
- Analyzes client annual giving and development programs to identify pipeline growth opportunities aligned with organizational goals.
- Develops omnichannel engagement strategies for annual giving programs, utilizing direct mail, email, phone, text, video, social media, and emerging technologies.
- Provides data-informed guidance on developmental operations, including team structure, goal prioritization, resource allocation, and onboarding of new tools.
- Creates and presents reports on results, trends, technologies, and industry research to institutional leadership and boards to drive action and address critical issues.
- Works with multiple internal teams including service delivery, product development, marketing, finance, and information technology to ensure alignment and execution on critical operational tasks.
Director of Annual Giving
Drake University
08.2017 - 05.2022
- Lead team responsible for meeting yearly unrestricted fundraising goals of more than $3 million for multiple colleges, schools, and units across Drake University.
- Developed and oversaw implementation of multi-channel solicitation marketing strategy maximizing donor upgrades, retention, and acquisition.
- Collaborated daily with departments across the University to optimize opportunities for success and maintain a united, persuasive message for giving to Drake University.
- Worked closely with database and records teams to create, implement, and analyze results reports to track key performance indicators and formulate data-driven strategies for improvement in critical donor populations.
Director of Annual Giving Programs
Rollins College
06.2014 - 08.2017
- Developed and implemented multi-channel fundraising marketing strategies and schedules for all areas of Rollins to meet yearly goal of 2.9 million in support.
- Created donor-centric messaging for letters, email, social media, and scripts to drive donations from a wide array of alumni and prospects.
- Strategized, produced, and oversaw creation of a five video series on the impact of philanthropy at Rollins which was awarded a 2017 Orlando Addy Award.
Associate Director of Annual Fund Programs
Columbia University
09.2010 - 05.2014
- Worked in a client service model to create unrestricted/annual giving strategies for multiple schools and units within Columbia University.
- Responsible for meeting goals of more than $3.5 million in unrestricted support yearly.
- Acted as producer and vendor liaison on all video content with in the Annual Fund Programs office.
- Was a core member of the team responsible for the creation and implementation of the CASE Grand Gold Award-winning "Columbia Giving Day," the first of its kind in higher education.
Assistant Director of Annual Giving
University of Iowa
06.2007 - 08.2010
- Acted as project manager on more than 75 direct marketing projects a year including mail, email, and telephone.
- Oversaw editorial processes with internal and external creative partners for over fourteen campus areas including health care, arts, libraries, and international programs.
- Played an active role in the creation and tracking of budget, schedules, and strategies for areas.
Education
Master of Science - Fundraising Managment
Columbia University
New York City, NY2014
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
Wartburg College
Waverly, IA2006
Skills
- Strategic Planning
- Intuitive Team Management
- In-Depth Reporting and Analysis
- Negotiation and Relationship Building
- Multi-Channel Marketing
- Cross-Department Collaboration
- Innovation and Change Implementation
- Impact Storytelling
Timeline
Vice President and Senior Consultant
Ruffalo Noel Levitz
05.2022 - Current
Director of Annual Giving
Drake University
08.2017 - 05.2022
Director of Annual Giving Programs
Rollins College
06.2014 - 08.2017
Associate Director of Annual Fund Programs
Columbia University
09.2010 - 05.2014
Assistant Director of Annual Giving
University of Iowa
06.2007 - 08.2010
Master of Science - Fundraising Managment
Columbia University
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
Wartburg College
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