How Strategic Planning Moves Donors Closer
Presenters: Jessica Browning, Principal and EVP, Winkler Group; Michelle Dube, Assistant Vice President of Client Services, Winkler Group, and guest panelist Taryn Mason, Chief Development Officer, South Carolina Historical Society
Thursday, September 17, 2026 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Working Description: Strategic planning tends to get framed as an internal exercise— something organizations do for themselves before returning to business as usual. This session reframes its value: strategic planning is one of the most powerful donor cultivation tools an organization has.
Jessica and Michelle will walk participants through how to use the strategic planning process to build donor trust, demonstrate transparency, and move supporters from passive givers to genuine partners in accomplishing your mission. The session covers the fundamentals of strategic planning, how to involve donors and key stakeholders in the process without overcomplicating it, and—critically—how to translate organizational goals into the kinds of narratives that inspire increased investment and long-term loyalty.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the core elements of the strategic planning process
- Identify which stakeholders to involve in the planning process and explain how that engagement builds long-term trust
- Articulate how the strategic planning process can be used as a donor cultivation tool
SPEAKER BIOS
Jessica Browning has 25 years of nonprofit experience. As a member of the Winkler Group’s executive leadership team, she oversees the firm’s resources, content, and outreach.
Jessica’s area of expertise is donor communications, grant writing, fundraising strategy, and strategic planning. Among other awards, her writing received the CASE Circle of Excellence award. Her most recent capital campaign raised 60 percent of its original goal.
She is a regular contributor to the Giving Institute and has been a contributor to the Chronicle of Philanthropy and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s First Day podcast. She has served as a guest lecturer on nonprofits at the Mason School of Business, College of William and Mary.
Prior to joining the Winkler Group, Jessica worked in the museum field for 15 years and is a former federal grant reviewer. She worked for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Mount Vernon, the Flagler Museum, and the Chrysler Museum of Art.
Jessica received a B.A. from Duke University as well as an M.A. and M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary. She served on Giving USA’s National Editorial Review Board and is a board member of One80 Place in Charleston, South Carolina.
Michelle Dube has dedicated more than 30 years to the nonprofit sector, with deep experience spanning development and academic advancement. Since joining Winkler Group, she has led strategic planning initiatives for organizations such as the South Carolina Historical Society and Scotland Memorial Foundation, in addition to capital campaign management for the Gateway Arch Foundation.
Before joining Winkler Group, Michelle served in senior frontline fundraising roles, securing significant campaign and endowment commitments alongside major, annual, and planned gifts. She held major gift officer positions at the West Point Association of Graduates, Wesleyan University, and The Masters School, and served as director of development at the Storm King School. Earlier in her career, she led annual fund and alumni relations programs at Middlebury College, Poly Prep Country Day School, and The Dalton School.
Michelle remains actively engaged as a volunteer. She is a class agent and career mentor for Middlebury College and previously served on the national development committee of Breakthrough Collaborative. She has also supported organizations including the American Red Cross, Goodwill, and Dress for Success.
Michelle has a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University and a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College. She lives in Connecticut, where she is an avid college basketball fan.?
Full participation in "How Strategic Planning Moves Donors Closer" is applicable for 1.0 points in Category 1.B -Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.