.png)
Version2 & Givzey Third Innovation Partner Cohort: Expanding Use Cases as we Accelerate the Research, Development, and Deployment of Fully Autonomous Fundraising
At Givzey and Version2, we are researching, developing, and accelerating the deployment of the world’s first fully autonomous fundraiser. Today, we're thrilled to announce the third cohort of nonprofit Innovation Partners to introduce the Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) to donors.
This additional cohort builds upon the remarkable success and leadership of previous cohorts, which have demonstrated the transformative potential of addressing fundraising’s labor shortage with trusted digital labor, by setting the VEO on the path to raise $1M. The mission for Version2’s third cohort is to expand the use cases and opportunities for fully autonomous fundraising for the benefit of all cohorts, and philanthropic giving as a whole.
To date, the Virtual Engagement Officer has raised over $520k for early partner organizations, had over 3,200 engagements (as defined by CASE), and executed over 50k autonomous activities with donors. Additionally, the VEO has connected 115 donors with a human team member for handoff and has just a .13% opt-out rate. With the addition of the Third Cohort, the VEO will now work in virtually every vertical of the nonprofit industry, including higher education, independent schools, healthcare, animal welfare, humanitarian, and faith-based organizations.
“This third cohort is the natural evolution of Version2’s rapid research and development. With the first cohort’s leadership, we successfully proved that autonomous fundraising was possible and deployed the technology needed to execute it at scale. Cohort 2 is devoted to identifying and defining its many successful use cases and applications, which Cohort 3 will now further accelerate for the benefit of an expanded array of Social Good organizations working to change the world. All three cohorts are championed by leaders who are actively building 3-5 year digital labor plans to onboard trusted AI digital labor to engage, inspire, and steward more donors. We are thrilled to welcome these thirteen organizations into Version2’s Third Cohort as we work together to give all donors the one-to-one, meaningful engagement they deserve.” – Adam Martel, CEO, Givzey & Version2
Thirteen nonprofit organizations join Givzey and Version2 in the Third Cohort, for a total of 40 organizations working together to continually refine and improve autonomous fundraising solutions to expand philanthropic capacity. Each innovation partner will integrate the VEO into their advancement operations, managing portfolios of 1,000 donors to cultivate relationships and facilitate engagement, stewardship, and giving. This cohort will continue to pioneer new applications for autonomous fundraising while establishing industry best practices and reaching donors who might otherwise remain unengaged due to traditional capacity limitations.
In support of their multi-year digital labor plans, cohort members also recently began to onboard their second autonomous fundraiser, the Virtual Stewardship Officer (VSO), after its launch last month. The VSO autonomously enhances donor relationships to maintain engagement between giving cycles, support donor retention through consistent, meaningful communications and provide sustainable perpetual stewardship to donors who have made their last major contribution.
Version2's third cohort of nonprofit Innovation Partners includes:
Catholic University of America – Scott Rembold, Ed.D., Executive Vice President for University Advancement
Cleveland State University Foundation – Timothy G. O'Callahan, Associate Vice President, Advancement
DeLaSalle High School – Sam Johnson, Executive Director of Advancement
Gaston College – Daniel Freeman, Ed.D, Chief Development Officer, Gaston College Foundation
Indiana State University Foundation – Andrea Angel, Vice President of University Advancement and CEO of the ISU Foundation
Kutztown University Foundation – Alex Ogeka, Executive Director
Macalester College – Joanna E. Curtis, Vice President for Advancement
PETA Foundation – Steve Kehrli, Sr Vice President Development
San José State University – Douglas Hupke, Associate Vice President for Alumni and Community Engagement
Western Carolina University – James D. Hogan, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Engagement
Wheaton College – Michael O'Brien, Associate Vice President, Individual Giving
“At PETA, we know innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about liberation. Just as octopuses have evolved remarkable problem-solving skills, which they cleverly use to escape captivity, we must rethink and reimagine how we remove the barriers that limit deeper engagement with our supporters. Through our Innovate to Liberate initiative, we implement new strategies, like the Virtual Engagement Officer, to accelerate change. The time to act is now—because every moment we wait is a moment lost for animals in need.” – Steve Kehrli, Senior Vice President, Development, PETA Foundation
“The investment necessary to hire new staff for our advancement team is challenging. Beyond the time necessary to hire, orient and ramp up new frontline fundraisers, the additional expense is prohibitive as we strategically deploy our resources. We are thrilled to partner with Givzey and Version2 to bring a new technology to bear to complement our current fund development staff and manage a portfolio of donors that we simply have not been able to engage. The Virtual Engagement Officer will be a tremendous asset in doing so and expand our capabilities in the process.” – Timothy G. O’Callahan, Associate Vice President, Advancement, Cleveland State University Foundation
Building on the learnings from previous cohorts, each organization in the third cohort will customize their VEO's donor portfolio to align with their unique institutional goals and donor engagement strategies. These donor portfolios will explore expanded use cases including affiliation-based portfolios, retention of new donors, and welcoming our very-first community college alumni portfolio, while continuing to refine the applications established by the first two cohorts, such as mid-level giving cultivation, donor pipeline development, and engagement revival programs.
"We're always looking for innovative ways to build connections with alumni and donors at WCU. Version2.ai gives us a cutting-edge tool that will enhance our outreach, help us build stronger and smarter relationships, and improve our ability to engage alumni how they want to be engaged. As Western Carolina moves into the public phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign, Version2.ai will help us personalize communications at scale and deliver better content to help tell our students' incredible stories. We're excited to be at the forefront of this exciting technology." – James D. Hogan, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Engagement, Western Carolina University
"The Indiana State University Foundation is thrilled to partner with Version2.ai to welcome a fully autonomous Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) to our advancement team. In today’s rapidly evolving world, embracing AI in higher education fundraising will support enhanced relationships with alumni and donors. We are proud to be the first University in Indiana to create a virtual engagement officer to deepen alumni connections to Indiana State University through innovation." – Andrea Angel, Vice President of University Advancement and CEO of the ISU Foundation
“Being in a small development shop has its challenges, much of that relates to bandwidth and capacity. Givzey’s Version2 Virtual Engagement Officer is a tool that all community colleges and small nonprofits should be exploring. I view Autonomous Fundraising as an opportunity to enhance our capacity, develop a comprehensive fundraising pipeline that benefits both our donors and recipients. At the same time, we’ll gain deeper insights into our alumni, friends, and the donors we serve, and I’ll have assistance in connecting with individuals who wish to be more involved. I would like to extend my thanks to Gaston College President, John Hauser, for his support in adding this technology to our foundation. I also want to express gratitude to Givzey for the incredible opportunity to be the first community college partner.” – Daniel Freeman, Ed.D, Chief Development Officer, Gaston College
"At Macalester, we believe that education is a fundamentally transforming experience that requires collaboration, curiosity, and care for our community. Joining R&D Cohort 3 gives our advancement team a chance to model this -- to learn alongside our peers, to challenge traditional ways of doing our work, and to imagine new and innovative methods for inspiring alumni to stay connected and support our mission." – Joanna E. Curtis '97, Vice President for Advancement, Macalester College.
"At DeLaSalle, we believe that innovation in fundraising strengthens our ability to serve students, making quality Catholic, Lasallian education more accessible for generations to come." – Sam Johnson, Executive Director of Advancement, DeLaSalle High School
“As a designated R-1 research university and world-class research institution, The Catholic University of America is on the cutting edge of technology, development, and exploration — including advancements in artificial intelligence. It is only natural for us to pursue innovative solutions within our own university advancement division. We are excited to partner with the VEO to guide us through new alumni engagement interactions powered by AI, ultimately enhancing and cultivating stronger relationships with our valued alumni, parents, and other members of the university community." – Scott Rembold, Ed.D., Executive Vice President for University Advancement at The Catholic University of America. “
