Member Spotlight: Shannon Morris

Shannon Morris
Assistant Director of Donor Relations
Cincinnati Museum Center

ADRP Member for 2.5 Years

How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?

I began my first donor relations job while I was still finishing my degree. I worked part-time for the Development Department at the local children’s hospital doing mostly stewardship reports for corporate and foundation grants. That was in January 2015 and I fell in love immediately with being able to share the impact of philanthropy, so I’ve been working full-time in the field since I graduated!

Could you tell us something about the organization you work for?

The Cincinnati Museum Center is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year! It is comprised of three museums, a history library, a collections facility, an OMNIMAX® theater, and a nature preserve. Its earliest predecessor, The Western Museum, was founded in 1818, hiring a young John James Audubon as its first paid employee the very next year. I really enjoy working for an organization with so much history and with such a big impact on our community.

What do you like most about being a member of ADRP?

My favorite part of being an ADRP member is having an opportunity to connect with my peers all over the country that I would never have been able to work with otherwise. Since I’m the sole person in charge of donor relations and stewardship for my organization, I’ve been able to share ideas and learn from others through volunteering with ADRP.

What is your greatest donor relations/stewardship achievement?

I consider my greatest donor relations/stewardship achievement to be the installation of a donor wall integrating all donor recognition from the organization’s first 25 years. From July 2016 to November 2018, Cincinnati Museum Center’s home of Union Terminal was closed for restoration and repair. During this time, the entire exterior and interior of the building were under construction, which meant the removal of all donor recognition. It was my responsibility to incorporate all of these donor names into a new donor wall when construction was completed. This was my first major donor recognition project and I’m extremely proud of how the donors were kept informed of the updates to their donor display and the end result.

What is the most important professional goal you are currently pursuing, i.e., attaining a degree, preparing to give a presentation, launching an initiative at work or in your community, etc.?

I would say that the most important professional goal I’m currently pursuing is gaining more stewardship experience. While I’ve been working in donor relations for almost five years, I still recognize that I have a lot to learn. I know I’m definitely in the right field for me, and so I look forward to finding my niche and growing my career.

How big a role does the use of social media play in your work?

Social media doesn’t play much of a role in my position, since it falls under the marketing department for our organization. In the past, we’ve only done small micro-campaigns through our social media, such as engaging with our followers on Giving Tuesday, and we’re currently exploring ways that we can collaborate on a larger scale to engage our followers more throughout the year.

Is there a resource, i.e., book, blog, website, etc., that you would recommend to other ADRP members?

In addition to all of the webinars that ADRP makes available, I’ve found myself referring to CharityHowTo a lot lately. Though CharityHowTo offers some paid webinars, they have a lot of free resources that are helpful, too. And if you’re keeping track of CFRE points, most of their courses are eligible!

What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?

The best piece of professional advice I ever received is “We’re not saving lives here.” While the work we do is vitally important to improving the lives of our community, this advice made me realize that it’s okay to make mistakes.

Are there any particular stories, insights, etc., from your experiences in donor relations and stewardship that you would like to share with our colleagues?

One time after my Vice President came back from a meeting with our largest campaign donor, she told me that they said something along the lines of “Thank you for taking the time to thank us. You’re the only organization that doesn’t make us feel like an ATM.” I think this is an important reminder that donor relations/stewardship makes a real difference.