Allan Burrows, Partner, CEO, has been with Capital Development Services since 1994, and president since 2006. He manages the company's marketing, operations, campaign and search divisions, and presents to dozens of conferences and board sessions every year. Allan is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, and began his development career at the Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina and at the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute. In his 30+ years of fundraising experience, Allan has led campaigns and development work throughout the Southeast for a broad array of nonprofits, and is experienced at working with leadership on all aspects of philanthropy. He is passionate about engaging clients and people in realizing that philanthropy is more than just "fundraising." He is a frequently requested and dynamic speaker, known for sharing relevant and interesting stories from his own experience with CapDev clients. A North Carolina native, Allan has served on numerous nonprofit boards over the years, including two terms with the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, and was awarded the Triad AFP Lifetime Achievement for Fundraiser of the Year in 2011.
Events
Education Program: Mastering Donor Retention with Allan Burrows and Clare Jordan
When: 4/8/2026
Where:
Mastering Donor Retention by Building Donor Relations
The #1 way to capitalize on your philanthropic potential is to overcome dismal donor retention. Only about 45% of donors are giving more than once to the same organization, a rate that continues to decline. Stop bleeding $1.25 costs to obtain $1 from a new donor, and keep the donors you have. Let's discuss your donor relations concerns relative to donor retention, including: the factors that led to this challenge and their impact; learn what you should be measuring and how; exchange real-time ideas; reframe your messaging to better appeal to repeat donors; and consider ways to gather and use data for decision-making.
Clare Jordan, Vice President at CapDev. Clare's passion lies in "teaching philanthropy," a skill honed through three decades of researching, lived experience, and presenting on topics related to generosity with nonprofits around the Southeastern U.S. She has chaired boards including N.C. State University's Institute for Nonprofits Advisory Board; the UNC School of the Arts Board of Visitors; and Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at N.C. State University, Clare has served on a variety of other nonprofit boards, and was awarded Distinguished Alumna of the Year for the College of Humanities at NC State University in 2021. She is vice president of CapDev, and a Winston-Salem native
