The enduring power of learning

Samara Caplan credits learning as a key inspiration in her donor stewardship role at Care Canada 

No matter what part you play in a not-for-profit organization, it’s easy to see just how important learning is to every business area. It’s a simple formula: the more you know, the more effective you can be. That’s true whether you’re leveraging donor data to customize your communications, soliciting feedback from your community to create stronger programming, or auditing your systems to ensure they support the organization’s goals at an optimal level.

Samara Caplan, Manager of Donor Experience and Stewardship at CARE Canada, values learning on a personal level. “I am consistently learning and developing,” she says. “Not only within the work in my role and unit but in the work CARE does with our programming and long-term development.”

Based in Ottawa, Samara has been working with CARE Canada for nine years and, in that time, has contributed in diverse roles from marketing to fundraising and now in donor experience. Over this time, she’s seen firsthand the positive impact of an organization that is intentional about continuous improvement. “We are always making sure we can provide effective and efficient service to our donors,” says Samara. “We strive to strongly represent CARE's work and highlight the impact our donors are making. We prioritize having strong systems and processes in place to support the health, growth and development of our organization.”

Samara is excited about seeing what innovations and improvements will come from her unit’s current project to develop improved services and feedback mechanisms to support CARE Canada’s donors. Sargent is a proud partner with CARE Canada, improving some of the foundational pieces of its database system.

“Sargent has been able to support us in the transition out of key areas where we relied on manual efforts into clean automated processes,” says Samara. “They always set us up to be able to maintain any changes or new systems on our own, expanding our internal knowledge and capabilities.”

This focus on learning and knowledge forms the foundation of Samara’s sound counsel to anyone looking to grow in their role. “Don't be afraid to make mistakes,” advises Samara. “Every time you try something new, whether it is highly successful or falls flat, you learn from it. Each experience helps you to learn and become better. Don't be afraid to ask questions, there is a wealth of knowledge in all areas around you. Learn from your colleagues and peers, and learn about the work your organization is doing. No matter how seasoned you get in your career, always ask questions, you never stop learning and developing.”