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LSA does not recommend publishing donor honor rolls. Honor Rolls are a public listing of donor names published online or within a communication such as a newsletter.
A number of departments and programs have recently asked us about the effectiveness of producing donor honor rolls to steward their donors. Recent studies conducted in the field of philanthropy show that this practice is falling out of fashion. Honor rolls take up time and resources, and leave organizations exposed in the event of any mistakes. Privacy concerns have also come into play, as we can no longer list a donor name in an honor roll without written permission. More importantly, donors have told us honor rolls do not inspire or motivate them to give, or make them feel appreciated. In some cases, it even makes them feel exposed.
What our donors care about most is the impact of their donation. This knowledge is shaping how the college now stewards its donors, with Advancement leveraging technology to produce high-end impact reports, videos, and engagement with beneficiaries of donations. So, if you are thinking about ways to steward your donors, we encourage you to skip honor rolls and reach out to our Stewardship team at lsastewardship@umich.edu for some creative ideas.