Andrea M. Jenkins, MPA, CAP®’s Post

The Power of Stewardship: Beyond the Thank You Note Early lessons about expressing gratitude have unexpectedly shaped my career in donor relations. While a sincere "thank you" is fundamental, it's just the first step in fostering long-term donor engagement. Donors deserve not only our appreciation, but also a glimpse into the impact their gifts create. Neglecting stewardship can quickly damage relationships and hinder future giving. Our institution thrives thanks to donor generosity, and fostering a culture of appreciation is key. While cultivation and fundraising are crucial, it's equally important to consider: how can we keep donors engaged? What actions might discourage them from future giving? The answer lies in a comprehensive stewardship strategy.

Let's talk... about the Cycle of Cultivation. Here's what you are thinking... the cycle of cultivation- What on earth is left to say about this topic? It has been discussed ad nauseum at conferences and workshops for years. Why should I bother to read this post? The cycle of cultivation has become misunderstood. Too often it is seen through two paradigms. It is seen as a way to (1) deepen a relationship with a donor and (2) to engage with a donor to move them to a larger gift. In its purest form it has one purpose. That is to identify, engage, ask, and steward a donor. One Purpose. When you start using the cycle of cultivation two ways- to both deepen and move donors, your annual giving donors are shortchanged. Maybe you stop identifying new annual giving donors, because your focus is major gifts. Now your pipeline is weak. Maybe you stopped engaging with annual giving donors now you struggle to get people involved with your organization. Maybe, sounds crazy but it happens, you have stopped asking your annual giving donors because it is too expensive to reach them or, and, etc. Now your program is out of balance on a number of philanthropic metrics. Maybe your stopped doing stewardship with your annual donors. The result- these donors don't know the impact they are making. You need to take every segment of your donor base through a cycle of cultivation. Stay tuned. AMPO is ready to dig deep on your annual giving cycle of cultivation.

Valentine's Day may be over but you should be showing your donors love all year long. Maureen Mahoney Hill offers you strategies to maximize donor loyalty, including this great tip: "It is important that you communicate with your donors beyond solicitations in ways that offer opportunities for engagement and feedback." Read the article for all of her recommendations and what to consider in the future of donor stewardship. #nonprofit #nonprofitfundraising #fundraising #donorengagement #donorrelations

Do you have a donor stewardship plan? It's all about nurturing relationships with your donors to keep them feeling valued, appreciated, and eager to stick around. After all, the last thing you want is for your donors to feel like they’re only good for their wallets. Read more . . . Share what your plan is!

Before we wrap up this season of "love" just a reminder of the importance of showing ALL your donors love! Check out the new blog post from Advancement Advisors: https://lnkd.in/e_jYbdDU #Fundraisingblog #Advancementadvisors #donorstewardship #donorlove

Investing more time in donor stewardship and donor retention will likely raise more funds for your nonprofit than social media! The Power of Donor Stewardship via Keela 🔗: https://lnkd.in/gthCe9ye

Hello nonprofits! Effective donor stewardship is crucial. In our latest blog, we outline strategies to build lasting relationships. It starts with a robust stewardship plan that includes updating donors on the impact of their contributions, and maintaining the cultivation cycle. Recognizing the diversity in donor capacities, the donor pyramid is one of many tools for tailored engagement, despite criticism by some in the industry for its perceived outdated nature. Whether it's a donor pyramid or gift chart, we see the benefits of using the tool for progress measurement and fundraising foresight, especially in a #capitalcampaign. In our experience, the mid-level segment of donors can really stand out as a focal point for growth in reaching your fundraising goals. What do you think about the donor pyramid -- helpful or hindering? #DonorStewardship #NonprofitImpact #FundraisingStrategies https://lnkd.in/dEbeVbYB

Is Your Stewardship "Check-the-Box" Or Truly Partnership Building First, if your stewardship program is able to check most of the items on the left below, bravo. You're showing true appreciation and consideration. You're extending yourself and trying to do right by your donors. You doing better than most. But, as is the case with all human relations, we have to always mind the gap between what we said and what was heard, between what we meant to say and what they were hoping to hear. I have seen many places that automate their stewardship efforts, often personalizing according to levels of giving. It's understandable and in many ways laudable, but it's not enough. Most of us are losing 4 out of 5 first-time donors and thereby cutting short the potential for deeper engagement and greater giving of time, talent and treasure over time. Louis Diez has shown how giving grows if we are able to retain donors for just three years. With each passing year, the probability of their giving more and/or leaving an estate gift increases but that won't happen if we think only in terms of "donor retention." We must think more in terms of partnership development and the steady building of communities of shared purpose. All of that will require us to build stronger relationships not just steward gifts. More importantly, it will require us to try to do our best, to listen and to continue to try to close the gap between what we want from them and what they want from us. Listening leads to mutuality and mutuality builds trust. Try, listen, adjust = greater and greater trust. These are not tasks to be delegated to one person or to just a few people in one office but an ethic to be embraced by an entire organization.

Check out our latest article where we discuss the critical role of data in nonprofit management, providing insights into how leveraging data can enhance decision-making, improve program outcomes, and boost donor engagement. #nonprofit https://lnkd.in/ebSCgmc6

Are you strategic about how you steward ALL donors? What does this even look like to be systemic and strategic in how you think about cultivating donors at different levels over time? My DBD Group colleague Lauren DeSimone shares some powerful insight in ways to think about segmenting and stewarding different donors. Check it out! "ALL donors deserve shows of gratitude and a report on how their gift is changing lives. While personalized stewardship would be a terrific way to retain donors at all levels, it is not realistic in fast-paced world of nonprofits. So how can we make thoughtful and intentional stewardship possible for donors at every giving amount? Creating a systematic approach to stewardship could be the answer." Keep reading on the DBD blog: https://lnkd.in/e9W_8a-r #leadership #nonprofitleadership #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipdevelopmentcoaching #organizationalculture #organizationaldevelopment