This webinar, presented by Vanessa Chase, offers ideas for creating a donor stewardship plan that uses cost-effective stewardship tactics, and covers: why donor stewardship is the one of best way to grow your fundraising revenue; 5 tips to create a donor stewardship plan; easy, cost effective donor stewardship ideas. Watch the full recorded webinar here: http://charityvillage.com/elearning/webinars/past-webinars/budget-friendly-ideas-for-donor-stewardship.aspx

1. Budget Friendly Ideas for
Donor Stewardship
Presented by:
Vanessa Chase of The Storytelling Non-Profit
- and -
CharityVillage

2. Question for You
Does your organization do a
good job stewarding donors?

3. Vanessa Chase
Fundraising and Communications Strategist
www.TheStorytellingNonprofit.com
Speaker: Association of fundraising
professionals, Council for Advancement
and Support of Education, npEngage,
BBCON14, Association of Donor Relations
Professionals
Clients: BC Children’s Hospital
Foundation, Hope for the Nations, Wagner
Hills Farm Society, A Rocha Canada,
Boucher Institute of Naturopathic
Medicine

4. What You’ll
Learn
• Why donor stewardship is the best way to
grow your fundraising revenue
• 5 tips to create a donor stewardship plan
• Easy, cost effective ideas for donor
stewardship
• Answers to your questions

5. Donor Retention
The sector average for donor retention is 41%
and donor attrition is 59%

6. Question for You
Do you know your
organization’s retention
rate?

7. Donor Retention
How to calculate your donor retention
rate
(Number of donors who gave in
2013)/(Number of 2013 donors who gave
again in 2014) x 100

9. Finding Solutions
Demonstrates impact + accountability
Practice of gratitude
Shows donors that you care

10. WAVAW
2010 – 2011 Fiscal Year
Revenue $41,000
2013 – 2014 Fiscal Year
Revenue $181,000
How?
Monthly thank-a-thons
Handwritten notes
More touch points without an
ask
They focused on taking care of their donors

11. Creating a Donor
Stewardship Plan

12. Know Your Donors
Who are your donors really?
Honor who they are and
their preferences
Donor surveys

13. Know Your Donors

14. Be Donor Centered
It’s about the donor, not
your organization
You versus we
Say thank you + report
impact

15. Question for You
What do you do to steward
donors?

16. The Stewardship Plan
When and how will you acknowledge gifts?
How else will you steward donors in between
asks?

17. Stewardship Ideas
Thank You Letters
Use a creative opening sentence. Not “On behalf of.
. .”
Give a specific example of how the donation will be
used.
Include a picture or two of the work in action.
Personalize the letter - donor’s name, gift amount,
why they gave.

18. Thank You Letters

20. Question for You
What will you do to update
your thank you letters?

21. Stewardship Ideas
Handwritten Notes
Have your Board Members write a few notes at the
beginning of their meeting
Use a different colored ink from the printed letter
“I am so grateful for your gift! Thank you for being
a champion of our work in the community.”
“This year you have helped _____. Without your
heartfelt gift, this would have not been possible.
Thank you!”

22. Stewardship Ideas
Thank You Phone Calls
“Hi, my name is Vanessa and I’m a staff member
at _____. I’m calling today to say thank you
for your recent gift! We were absolutely
delighted to receive it and because of it you
are making ______ possible.

23. Stewardship Ideas
Donor Newsletters

24. Stewardship Ideas

25. Stewardship Ideas
Surprise and Delight
Non-branded thank you card
Confetti (in moderation!)
Mission-driven gifts or events

26. The Stewardship Plan
Gift Level Acknowledgement
Letter
Tax Receipt Thank You Call
$1 to $99 Yes – within 3 days Yes – early January
$100 to $499 Yes – within 3 days Yes – early January
$500 to $999 Yes – within 3 days Yes – early January Yes – within 2 weeks
$1000 + Yes – within 3 days Yes – early January Yes – within 2 weeks

27. The Stewardship Plan
Monitor your results and evaluate your
stewardship plan at least once per year
Integrate the principles of great donor
stewardship into your plan
Focus on taking care of your donors
Enlist the help of others

28. QUESTIONS?

29. Thank You!
vanessa@thestorytellingnonprofit.co
m
@vanessaechase
storytellingnp/
www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com