For the Executive Committee of the Annual Fund at Duke University, Conbrio led a team of consultants to help the committee analyze the results of an in-depth study of the giving potential of different categories of alumni and then develop strategies to capitalize on the potential. When the project began, committee staff members were thoroughly frustrated because after receiving the study results, they couldn’t envision and agree on a common way forward. Conbrio worked with the committee to help them agree on a vision, develop alternative directions and settle on a plan of action. The heart of creating the action plan was holding facilitated focus groups where committee members where committed members interacted with the different targeted audiences to ask questions and understand motivations for giving. Conbrio designed and led the facilitated focus groups, using a process which relied heavily on visuals so participants could both see and hear in words and images what best moved the different targeted audiences. At the project’s conclusion, staff members used the input to successfully redesign the pitch and materials for the different target groups. Both staff and committee members were excited with the results, saying the discussions gave them better-than-before insights.
