Eight months into her tenure with the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Lynne Yontz already was on the move, shifting from director of advancement to director of donor relations.

In this new position, Yontz, who has been with the Community Foundation since September 2014, has set goals for both herself and the Community Foundation. For now, her goal is to get to know as many donors and supporters as possible. In the long run, she hopes to see a strong quality of life continue to exist in Greater Des Moines.

“The Des Moines area has benefited from the generosity of multiple generations, so I want to help families continue to pass on charitable values to their children and grandchildren,” Yontz said.

Talk about your beginnings and why you chose to follow a career path leading to nonprofits.
Initially I intended to pursue a business degree but was introduced to the public relations field by a college coach, so I adjusted my major to encompass both areas. The real-world experiences shared by my professors, along with my internships, helped guide me toward nonprofit public relations and marketing. I had the fortunate experience to work on the United Way of Central Iowa campaign the fall after I graduated from college. That experience gave me an opportunity to learn about the many strong nonprofit organizations in Central Iowa, as well as to meet many of the influential business leaders.

You left Iowa at one point. Why did you go and what brought you back?
After seven years at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, I was recruited to lead the community relations efforts at DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich. It was a great career opportunity in a beautiful part of the country. We ultimately returned to Central Iowa in 2006 after my mother survived cancer treatments, and I accepted a newly created development position at United Way of Central Iowa. 

Talk about your role as director of donor relations. What are your responsibilities?
I am responsible for the ongoing engagement of donors at the Community Foundation. I help individuals and families who have charitable funds at the Community Foundation to achieve their charitable giving goals. They use their funds like a charitable checkbook or charitable savings account. I am also helping donors develop long-term charitable plans that will go beyond their lifetime and engage the next generation of their family by passing on their philanthropic values. 

Why are these responsibilities critical to the Community Foundation’s mission?
The Community Foundation is focused on improving our community through charitable giving and connecting donors with causes they care about. So it’s critical for us to communicate and interact with donors to help them see what needs exist in our community and then provide them with convenient and financially advantageous ways to support the causes most important to them. More than half of the funds contributed to the Community Foundation annually come from current donors, so it’s important they have timely communication and positive experiences that encourage them to continue their support of the community.

What is your strategy or plan to further connect donors to the Community Foundation?
I want donors to know they have customized, personalized philanthropy options available to them. We recently received results from a survey of our donors, so I am anxious to analyze that data to see where we can continue to enhance donors’ experiences. I think donors feel most satisfied when they see that their charitable contributions are truly making an impact, so I hope to continue improving those efforts.

Where else do you volunteer your time?
I have been a volunteer reader for elementary students, volunteer with Meals From the Heartland and recently completed a board role with the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute. 

Do you have any hobbies you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I haven’t had much spare time lately. After eight months of studying, I recently completed my coursework for certification as a chartered adviser in philanthropy. Our family enjoys traveling, but that’s primarily been focused on year-round volleyball and college visits lately since our daughter is a senior in high school.