Budget Friendly Ideas for Donor Stewardship

Presented by: Vanessa Chase of The Storytelling Non-Profit

- and - CharityVillage

Question for You

Does your organization do a good job stewarding donors?

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

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

Donor Retention

The sector average for donor retention is 41% and donor attrition is 59%

Question for You

Do you know your organization’s retention

rate?

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

Finding Solutions

Demonstrates impact + accountability

Practice of gratitude

Shows donors that you care

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

Creating a Donor Stewardship Plan

Know Your Donors

Who are your donors really?

Honor who they are and their preferences Donor surveys

Know Your Donors

Be Donor Centered

It’s about the donor, not your organization

You versus we Say thank you + report impact

Question for You

What do you do to steward donors?

The Stewardship Plan

When and how will you acknowledge gifts? How else will you steward donors in between asks?

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. Send it out promptly.

Thank You Letters

Question for You

What will you do to update your thank you letters?

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!”

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.

Stewardship Ideas

Donor Newsletters

Stewardship Ideas

Stewardship Ideas

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

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

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

QUESTIONS?

Thank You!

vanessa@thestorytellingnonprofit.com

@vanessaechase

storytellingnp/

www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com