Get Your Tech On! Highlights from the 2019 Stewardship TechXchange

Cheryl Lintner
Executive Director of Donor Relations
Meridian Health Foundation

It seems like every year, each of us is tasked with doing more – with less. So how do we cope with the challenge of limited resources and increasing demand? Technology. Whether you like it or not, we operate in a technologically-savvy, Artificially Intelligent (AI) world. And every day someone invents a new tech gadget, app, or program that is going to be a total game-changer…until the next one comes along. If you are not currently leveraging technology to do your job better, you are already behind.

This year at the 16th Annual ADRP International Conference in Miami, we brought back the Stewardship TechXchange – a rapid-fire technology sharing session featuring some of the latest and greatest technology resources and tech-tips from your fellow donor relations professionals. The session highlighted innovative ways our peers are using technology to steward donors, as well as on-the-job tech solutions to make your life easier. Here’s the low-down on what we covered:

• Want to make a simple video with your iPhone or iPad? There’s an app for that. Check out Clips in the Apple store. (Pro tip: you need to update to iOS 13 first.)
• Need to design beautiful, professional quality print pieces on a tight budget? See Canva.
• How about eye-catching infographics to represent stats and figures? Venngage is an excellent tool.
• Want to share a video with a donor who isn’t tech savvy? Send them a videobook from Spreengs.
• Tired of printing paper impact reports? Check out the versatility of Adobe Spark for digital reporting.
• If live video isn’t for you, make your own fun animation videos using Vyond.
• Don’t have the time to send a hand-written thank you note? Do it from your mobile phone with Felt and Handwrytten.
• Go green and invest in a Rocketbook notebook, the app-enabled, reusable digital notebook that will change your life (and save some trees).
• Got Gmail? Use add-ins like Mail Merge and Boomerang to simplify mass digital communications and keep yourself on task.
• Presenting at a conference? Check out these mobile teleprompter apps like Parrot and Teleprompter Lite so you can ditch the paper notes. 
• Need to get organized? Smartsheet has you – and your team – covered.

Whether you need to steward a single donor or thousands, technology should be part of your toolbox. If you want more great resources and tips, check out the Stewardship TechXchange Resource List, compiled from ADRP colleagues across the globe. Many of the technologies listed are free or low-cost. Embrace your inner tech geek and give some of these a try. And stay tuned for another Stewardship TechXchange in Albuquerque in 2020!