Fall season reflection: Is apple farming like fundraising?

This month is busy with intensive fundraising, class giving, Homecoming, and all that goes with these activities. For some perfectly timed fall levity, I turned this week's article over to Carmen Vanderlinde, and now I am hankering for some apple pie.

By: Carmen Vanderlinde, Associate Director, Gift Planning

I have been writing this piece in my head for the past few weeks. As those I work closest with will know, my husband and I are in our very first season of taking over the family apple farm.  Rik is the full-time farmer and business owner and I jump in to help on weekends.

Working in the apple store on Saturdays and Sundays is fun and fast-paced. My favourite aspect has been meeting hundreds of customers and getting to know our local community in a new way. I have found myself thinking about the connection between the two worlds of apple farming and fundraising. Here are some of my thoughts:

• Customer service – Like Queen’s donors, apple customers arrive in the store requiring different approaches and levels of service. Some are looking for a particular apple variety and cannot be swayed from “making pie with great-grandma’s recipe that only uses Cortland apples.” Others have come to make a purchase but are just not sure what kind of apple to take home. Regardless, it is my role to ask more questions to find out exactly what they want to accomplish with the apples and help find the right fit (even if that means suggesting a different apple variety would make a sweeter pie than Cortland). Do you want an apple for snacking or baking? Do you want your pie to be tart or sweet? Tell me about the memories or ideas that are connected to the apple pie. Why do these apple pies matter to you? These conversations can feel like an abbreviated version of what we do when we assess and cultivate donors.

• Cultivation – Anyone who gardens knows the importance of the hard work and ongoing attention required to grow flowers, vegetables, shrubs, etc. To have any hope of a successful crop, apple trees require a lot of T.L.C. and the fruits of your labour take time to realize. Just like nurturing relationships with our donors, unique apple-tree varieties require certain steps to grow and flourish. The annual process starts very early, with pruning in the winter, thinning and pest management through the summer, and picking apples in September. The timing of these details and forward planning matter. These processes cannot be rushed, especially if you expect to have a bountiful crop the following year (i.e., repeat donors).

• Stewardship matters – I have been delighted to see familiar faces visit our farm. Some customers have been coming for 10 years or longer. While they may have started with purchasing a small bag of apples, they are now buying in bulk or returning every weekend to see what’s new on the shelves. Consistent, positive experience has them returning for more of what’s familiar, but they also start to consider purchasing higher ticket items, like a homemade apple pie. I think about the first bag of apples like a donor’s test gift that can eventually lead to a legacy gift (the bushel of apples and a whole pie!).

• Managing expectations – Sometimes our role as fundraisers involves handling donor disappointment for various reasons. Their fund is not being awarded. Homecoming switched to virtual programming. These things are out of our control, yet we listen and respond with empathy and understanding. I was reminded of this when our farm was struck by a hailstorm on Aug. 31 that forced us to close the pick-your-own orchard (cut apples mean wasps and other safety concerns). Oh, the disappointment! Disrupted tradition was the strongest theme we heard from families. Mother Nature, like bigger political, social, and institutional issues, are not always within our control. However, we can control how we respond to maintain these relationships for the future. When our customers express frustration and disappointment, I remain available and continue to offer a listening ear even when I cannot influence the outcome. I know that it takes time and perseverance to rebuild trust and relationships with these families. 

No matter what our extracurriculars may be, there are always connections that can be made that can help us to see our work in a new light. Maybe it reinforces something we already knew or helps us find creative solutions to problems. My advice? Take a walk to enjoy the fall colours and let your mind wander.  

Two weeks for Heney Award nominations

A reminder that the nomination deadline for the Heney Award closes on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, at 11:59 pm ET. 

Any staff member in the Office of Advancement may submit an online nomination. 

Here’s what past award recipients have shared about their experience receiving this honour:

“Hearing our names announced was a complete surprise and a real honour. The feeling of immense support in the room was very touching. We knew our colleagues were behind us all the way and, 10 years later, we are still very grateful.” Jodi Snowdon and Kim Wilkinson

"Receiving the Heney Award was an honour and felt validating because you are being recognized by your fellow Advancement staff. It was a wonderful surprise.” Jon Bennett

Please take some time to nominate today. Reach out to any of our past award recipients with questions. 

Employee spotlight

The Employee Spotlight celebrates the arrival of our new and existing staff by profiling responses they share through a fun and informal survey that will help us get to know them better. Be sure to review these profiles and use these fun facts and tidbits to find commonalities, embrace differences, and spark a conversation. 

A few weeks ago in Advancement, we welcomed Mohammad Bilal Khan to the position of Relationship Manager, Alumni Engagement and EDII, Smith School of Business. Learn more about Bilal and the story behind his name. 

We also want to spotlight Carey-Anne Morrison, Reunion Officer with Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. Read about what ancestral language she is currently learning. 

Jobs with Advancement

We need your recruitment help. Know great talent that would be a good addition to our team? If so, please promote the vacancies below with your networks and let’s find some amazing new team members.

Applications (including a cover letter and résumé) must be submitted through CareerQ. For additional information on this posting, please reach out to either Carla Ferreira Rodrigues or the hiring manager for the position you are interested in.