Building and Implementing A Donor Stewardship Plan Taking Out the Intimidation:

Building and Implementing A Donor Stewardship Plan

Taking Out the Intimidation:

Katie McGovern

Development Director

The ALS Association St. Louis Regional

Chapter

Angela Rickard

Director, Annual Fund

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis

AGENDA

• Importance of Stewardship• Audience• Timing• Staffing• Current Activities• The Plans• Tracking• Evaluation• Examples and Resources

Donor Cycle

Identification

Cultivation

Solicitation

Stewardship

Rule of Seven• Dr. Jeffery Lant• You have to contact a potential buyer

a minimum of seven times within an 18-month period.

Penelope BurkDonor Centered Fundraising

Thank you letter turn around

2 Weeks

Average Gift increase was

39%

Step One: Who is your audience?

• Current Donors• Lapsed Donors• New Donors• Giving Levels• Giving Societies• Tributes• In-Kind

• Event attendees• Grantors• Corporations

Step Two: When should you do it?

Step Two: When should you do it?

Step Three: Who should do it?

• Development Staff• President• Board• Volunteers

What are you currently doing?

• Thank you letter• Newsletter• Holiday Card• Donor Recognition Event• Annual Report

What are you currently doing?

• Acknowledgement letters• Newsletter• E-Communications

– “How We Did” updates post-events– Emails from Development Director or

President CEO for online donations• Event invitations• Holiday cards

WHAT CAN YOU DO?The Plans

Step Four: How should you track it?

Raiser’s Edge

Step Four: How should you track it?

Donor Pro

Step 5: How well are you doing it?

Impact Postcards

Thank You Postcard

Thank You Postcard

Email Thank You

Wrap Up Postcard

Birthday Cards

Thanksgiving Cards

Club Member Note Cards

Thank You Phone Call Talking Points

Introduce yourself

State your name and that you are member of the board of directors of the ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter.

Thank them for their recent support. Tell them that the Chapter appreciates their support. You do not have to discuss specific amounts…simply recognizing their support is enough.

Discuss what the Chapter does with the gifts that it receives:

Case management and care services for people and families with ALS: The Chapter offers over 20 supportive services for patients and patient families including equipment loan, nutritional supplementation, and grants for counseling and respite care (support for caregivers.) The Chapter serves about 300 patients a year with the above services.

Advocacy: Donations allow our staff, volunteers and patient families to partake in local and nationwide advocacy efforts. This includes bi-annual visits to Capitol Hill to meet with representatives who can advance healthcare initiatives that support the treatment and cure of ALS.

Research: The Chapter continues to contribute money to local and national research efforts. The Chapter has contributed almost $400,000 to research since its inception.

Thank them again for their support and tell them that we look forward to a continued partnership with them for the benefit of all people with ALS.

Thank You Email Template

Dear [Name],

My name is [your name] and I am a member of the ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter’s board of directors. On behalf of our organization, I want to thank you for your recent gift. I can assure you that your funds will be put to good use supporting case management and care service, local and national advocacy efforts and cutting-edge research. (PLEASE NOTE: If a gift is restricted, I will let you know and the last sentence should be shifted to reflect exactly how those funds will be used.)

Our Chapter is celebrating 30 years of providing health, help and hope to people and families with ALS. We look forward to your continued partnership and working with you more in the future.

Should you have any question or if you would like to talk further, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [XXX-XXX-XXXX] or [your email]. I welcome your conversation.

Thank you, once again, for your generosity.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Thank-a-Thon ScriptIf they answer the phone:

Hello, Mr./Mrs. X. My name is NAME and I’m a member of the volunteer Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis. I am calling to thank you for your support of our organization. You have been a generous donor and I wanted to let you know in person how very much we appreciate it.

At this point simply pause and wait for a response. Some donors are quite startled and don’t know what to say. Usually, they are very appreciative and gracious.

Most calls are very short, simply ending after you express your thanks. We would appreciate it if you do not make any comment that could be construed as another request, such as, “We are grateful for your gift and hope that you will continue to support us in the future.” This hints of another solicitation, and we want to avoid leaving that impression. If the donor expresses interest in giving more you can definitely engage in the conversation.

I hope you have a pleasant evening!

Sometimes the donor might want some additional information. If you are comfortable answering their questions, by all means do so. If not ask them if they would like to speak to a staff member and give the call to Angela or Flint.

If you get voicemail:

Hello! This is YOUR NAME I’m a member of the volunteer Board of Directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis calling to let NAME know SHE/HE have been a generous donor and I simply wanted to thank HER/HIM for HER/HIS kindness. I hope you have a pleasant evening!

Gift Ideas• BGCSTL Key chains• BGCSTL Lapel pins• BGCSTL Coffee mugs• BGCSTL T-shirts• BGCSTL baby clothes• Calendar• Photo Album• Potted Plan• Bookmark• Padfolio• eCard• Chalk the walk way• Tape Measure – You really measure up!• Heart (this can be made out of chocolate, a

lapel pin, or figurine) – Thank you for sharing your caring heart with us! 

• Balloon – With you, we can go above and beyond!

• Fortune Cookie – We’re very fortunate to have you!

• 100 Grand Candy Bar – You’re priceless to us!

• Seeds – We’re glad to be growing with you!• Box of Raisins – Thanks for raisin’ us to new

heights!• Gloves – Giving you a warm round of

applause for all that you do!• Mints  – Thanks for your commitMINT! • Paperclips (look for fun shapes!) – Your efforts

hold us together.• Post-it Notes – Thanks for sticking with us!• Paper Air Plane – Thanks to you, we soar to

new heights!• Assorted Nuts – We’re nuts about you!• Mirror – You’re looking at the world’s best

volunteer!• Cookie Cutter – Your work shapes lives!• Crayons – You make the world a brighter

place• Toothpick – Thanks for picking us!• Small box of Frosted Flakes – We think you’re

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

Resources• AFP• Cafepress.com• Baudeville.com• PrintsMadeEasy.com• Vistaprint.com

Thank you!

Any questions?