The Future of Fundraising
Welcome to the Future of Fundraising.
Giving Days have become a critical element of annual giving programs, as demonstrated by several of our Version2.ai Innovation Partners this Spring. Now that many giving days have ended and we’ve moved into fiscal year-end, we took the opportunity to analyze how the Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) contributed to the success of the 12 Giving Days it fundraised for.
Gift officers spend time cultivating and engaging donors in their portfolio so that when it’s time to make an ask, it feels natural and personal. Across 12 higher education partner institutions, VEOs supported Giving Day efforts by leveraging the connections they were already building. They held real conversations, elevated the day’s momentum, and even thanked donors in real time when they confirmed gifts.
In this sample of Giving Days, here’s how the VEO performed:
- Total Raised: $309,293
- Total Gifts: 1,546
- Average Gift Size: $200
- Largest Gift: $8,000
- LYBUNT giving: $120,000
- Re-Engaged SYBUNT/Long-Lapsed/Non-Donors: 150
- Total Activities: 29,000 personal messages
At William & Mary, nearly 50% of the donors in the VEO’s portfolio made a gift. At Bucknell, it was 28%. The largest single gift, $8,000, came from a donor at VCU who had been receiving VEO communications for approximately 4 months. 56 of the re-engaged donors came from College of Charleston alone – significant because CofC’s VEO was one of the first to launch, emphasizing the importance of the long-term moves management strategy.
Tying this all together wasn’t urgency, it was consistency. These VEOs didn’t run broad campaigns or chase clicks. As an already familiar channel of communication, they showed up with steady presence, informed by strategy and grounded in voice. They spoke directly to donors, with care. They didn’t replace the work of human fundraisers, they amplified it. In doing so, they made space for more people to feel part of something meaningful.
Giving Day has always been about more than raising dollars. It’s about rallying belief. It’s about reminding donors why they give, and who gives alongside them.
This Spring, VEOs helped our partners bring that spirit to life. They reminded us of a simple truth: when more donors feel seen and heard, more generosity follows.
Autonomous Fundraising Progress Update
What once felt out of reach—thousands of donors engaged personally, consistently, and at scale—is now a reality.
This is the promise of Autonomous Fundraising: turning capacity challenges into connection, and missed opportunities into meaningful relationships.
This week’s VEO by the Numbers reflects what’s possible when fundraising teams are equipped to scale their relational work:
- $1,122,568 raised
- 8,932 donor engagements (as defined by CASE)
- 127,000+ personalized activities managed
- 5,716 gifts secured
- 907 donors re-engaged
- 156 seamless handoffs to human fundraisers
Fundraising has always been about relationships. Now, it’s possible to deliver that experience to more donors than ever before.
Discover what’s now within reach →https://version2.ai
Autonomous Fundraising: Fireside Chat with Wake Forest University
What happens when a Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) joins your advancement team? At Wake Forest University, it’s helping them expand capacity, reach more donors, and deepen alumni relationships.
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Join and Tim Snyder , Senior Associate VP at Wake Forest, and Emily Groccia of Version2.ai , for a behind-the-scenes look at how they brought trusted digital labor into their strategy—and the real results they’ve seen.
You’ll hear why Wake Forest began exploring Autonomous Fundraising, how they structured their Virtual Engagement Officer’s portfolio, and the kinds of donor conversations it’s generating. The team will share how supporters are responding and what they’ve learned from these early results. If you’re exploring new ways to scale relational fundraising, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Behind the Easiest Launch You’ll Make This Year
What if getting started with Autonomous Fundraising felt like a breath of fresh air? Because starting something new shouldn’t add pressure—it should create possibility.
In this live session, you’ll hear directly from the Version2.ai team that helps organizations get up and running—sharing what it really looks like to launch a Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) in just three weeks, with only 8–10 hours of lift. The process is focused, fully supported, and built to work with your schedule, not compete with it.
If you’re looking to expand capacity without slowing down, this is your chance to ask questions, see the path, and imagine what’s possible.
Onboarding That Adds Capacity, Not Complexity
In fundraising, there’s never a perfect time to take on something new—which is exactly why we built onboarding for a Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) to fit into your busiest seasons.
In just three weeks and 8–10 hours of your time, your VEO is up, running, and making a difference. It’s a guided, low-lift process with dedicated support every step of the way. After launch, you stay informed with weekly reports and only spend minutes each month responding to donor handoffs.
Fundraisers don’t need more to manage—they need trusted digital partners that expand capacity without adding complexity. That’s the kind of start every great partnership deserves.
[LEARN MORE]
Fundraising Jobs
Our featured jobs come from our amazing subscribers. If you have jobs you would like posted in the Future of Fundraising newsletter, please email hello@givzey.com with your requests.
- Director of Development/Chief Advancement Officer $150,000–175,000 | Institute for Exceptional Care | Washington, DC | APPLY >>>
- Chief Development Officer $125,000-175,000 | Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts | Philadelphia, PA | APPLY >>>
- Senior Director of Institutional Giving $137,550–226,678 | Sheppard Pratt | Towson, MD | APPLY >>>
- Senior Director of Development – UCLA Athletics $140,000 | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | APPLY >>>
These are incredible numbers! 👏