Donor Relations and Stewardship

By Dawn Borgeest What donors find important when being thanked for their gift. The five P’s of memorable and meaningful thank you notes. We all know the importance of thanking donors for their support. But how do we make it meaningful and memorable? How do we do it in a way that reflects our gratitude and deepens our relationship with the donor? To help answer that question, I fielded an…

The homepage of Lynne Wester’s website cites an alarming statistic: “…the current first-time donor retention rate is 22%.” That statement should strike fear in the hearts of fundraisers everywhere. She goes on to point out that the cost of recruiting a new donor is seven times more than the cost to retain one. Lynne Wester: "Fundraisers are faced with a major problem regarding the…

Having started her career in Advancement Services in 1987, Deb Cunningham is well qualified to observe how AS has evolved over the years. When we spoke to her in 2014, she emphasized that data and the tools to interpret data had become major drivers of change in the profession.

Advancement professionals must learn to be agile, adaptable, and resourceful. That is certainly true when it comes to donor relations and stewardship. As Erin Moyer advises in this interview, “Embrace knowing that there will always be something you don’t know or were not prepared for…"

Cynthia Woolbright uses an example involving a coffee mug to illustrate “best practices” when it comes to donor relations.

In her video blog on donor relations and stewardship, Cynthia Woolbright uses an example involving a coffee mug to illustrate “best practices” when it comes to donor relations.

Eve Forbes is onto something. In eight years, she has transformed Trinity College’s 21 year-old Legacy Giving Program by embracing a new way of thinking about its donors.

Interview with David McMullen, Interim Senior Director of Development; Director of Donor Relations, Catholic University of America