[NPFX Ep. 70] Donor Stewardship: Helping Donors Find Meaning through Philanthropy (with Sami Zoss and Dzenan Berberovic)
Great donor stewardship goes beyond thank-you notes — it creates a sense of meaning for the donor. In this kickoff episode of our new series on stewardship, Sami Zoss sits down with Dzenan Berberovic, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Avera Health, to explore how thoughtful stewardship can deepen relationships, celebrate generosity, and offer donors what they truly seek: a lasting sense of purpose and impact. Learn why stewardship isn’t just a follow-up tactic — it’s central to transformative fundraising. Listen here:
Episode highlights include:
- Ways to personalize stewardship efforts and make donors feel valued.
- An example of an innovative stewardship campaign at Avera Health involving a jar of buttons.
- How focusing on relationships in fundraising makes stewardship feel natural and inviting.
- Strategies for making stewardship efforts personal and meaningful to donors, while balancing resource allocation.
- How creating a culture of giving and showing employees the impact of their philanthropy led to 30+% of employees participating in employee giving.
- Why smaller nonprofits should educate their staff on the importance of philanthropy and involve them in stewardship efforts.
- The need for data-informed stewardship practices and the importance of recognizing donor behavior.
- The challenges facing the philanthropy sector, including donor retention and staff turnover.
Special Offer: Free 30-minute consultation for NPFX listeners
Additional Resources
- IPM's free Nonprofit Resource Library
- [NPFX] Meaningful Donor Relationships: The Key to Financial Stability
- [NPFX] The Challenges Facing Higher Ed Fundraisers
- [NPFX] Measuring More than Money: Why Donor Relationships Matter
- [Blog] The Secret to Keeping Your Donors Giving: Make Them Feel Special
- [Blog] Writing a Great Thank You Letter: The First Step in Successful Donor Stewardship
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Guests
Sami Zoss is the founder of Zoss Collaborations, a business solutions consulting firm specializing in nonprofit growth and operational efficiency. With an MBA in Finance and Marketing, Sami brings a wealth of expertise in donor engagement, technology integration, and strategic planning to her clients. Before founding Zoss Collaborations, Sami served as the COO and later as Acting CEO of the Dakota State University Foundation, where she led record-breaking fundraising campaigns and implemented innovative donor engagement strategies that significantly expanded DSU’s donor base. In addition to her work with educational institutions, she has been a dedicated volunteer with organizations like Camp Gilbert Inc., supporting children with Type 1 diabetes.
Dzenan Berberovic was born in Bosnia, one of the poorest countries in the world. He spent six years as a refugee in Germany before immigrating to the United States when he was nine. Inspired by the generosity of strangers, Dzenan discovered his life’s calling: philanthropy. Today, he serves Avera Health as Chief Philanthropy Officer. As the steward of Avera’s 20,000+ annual benefactors, Dzenan has served and led teams to raise more than $600 million. Dzenan was named the Outstanding Young Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global. Before transitioning to healthcare, he received the Rising Star Award from the Council for Advancement in Support of Education (CASE). The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) honored him as a 40 Under 40 recipient. Dzenan received a graduate degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Philanthropy and Development.
Hosts
Russ Phaneuf, a co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in higher education development, with positions at the University of Hartford, Northern Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management. As IPM's managing director & chief strategist, Russ serves as lead fundraising strategist, award-winning content creator, and program analyst specializing in applied system dynamics.
Rich Frazier has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. In his role as senior consultant with IPM Advancement, Rich offers extensive understanding and knowledge in major gifts program management, fund development, strategic planning, and board of directors development.