Donor Appreciation Events

I tracked all fundraising activity for one year so you didn't have to. Here is what I found: - A substantive, in-person visit with a donor resulted in gifts 5x larger than donors who only corresponded via phone calls or emails. - It took roughly 12 touchpoints to secure a visit with a donor. That is a high number, but pretty characteristic of human services. - Each handwritten card sent produced 1,169x more value than it cost. - Response rate increased dramatically with a voicemail + email combination. - Gifts from DAFs, gifts of stock, and gifts from RMDs became more popular only as donors were informed that those were giving options. Here is what this means: - Meet in person with donors as much as humanly possible - Make as many attempts as possible to schedule visits with donors - Write handwritten cards. Like, right now. - Reach out to donors with a multi-channel approach (DM me if you'd like to see a call, email, +handwritten card cadence) - Donors don't always know how to maximize their generosity unless you tell them. Inform them of their options if they give you permission! Ultimately, provide value to your org's donors and watch as generosity unfolds for the benefit of the people your org serves!

Stop pitching, start listening. I lost a $250K gift because I walked into a meeting ready to close. The donor was ready to talk. I was ready to perform. Deck loaded. Budget tight. Impact projections color-coded. I thought this was professionalism. It was just... transactional. Fifteen minutes in I could feel it. The shift. They went polite but distant. "We'll think about it." Never heard from them again. What I figured out: you're not here to convince anyone. You're here to find out what they already care about, then show them how your work connects to that. That donor didn't need a pitch deck. They needed someone to listen. So I rebuilt my whole approach. First meeting? I ask questions and listen. That's it. Second meeting? I share stories, not spreadsheets. Third meeting? I invite them to experience the work firsthand. Fourth meeting? They tell me what they want to fund. The ask becomes a formality. You're already partners by then. My close rate went from 40% to 85%. Not because I got better at selling... but because I stopped trying to sell. People don't fund organizations. They fund visions they co-created with you. What's a mistake that completely rewired how you approach your work? Photo:  Having a deep conversation with Reggie Love, Obama's right-hand man. #DonorRelations #FundraisingStrategy #NonprofitLeadership #ListeningFirst #PhilanthropyTips

Before it was about getting donors to write checks. Now it’s about involving them in your ecosystem. Here’s 5 steps to get started today: You’re not just fundraising anymore. You’re onboarding stakeholders. If you want repeatable, compounding revenue from donors, partners, and decision-makers, you need to stop treating them like check-writers… …and start treating them like collaborators in a living system. Here’s how. 1. Diagnose your “center of gravity” Most orgs center fundraising around the mission. But the real gravitational pull for donors is their identity. → Ask yourself: What is the identity we help our funders step into? Examples: Systems Disruptor. Local Hero. Climate Investor. Opportunity Builder. Build messaging, experiences, and invites around that identity, not just impact stats. 2. Turn every program into a flywheel for new capital Stop separating “program delivery” from “fundraising.” Your programs are your best sales engine → Examples: • Invite donors to shadow frontline staff for one hour • Allow funders to sponsor a real-time decision and see the outcome • Let supporters “unlock” bonus services for beneficiaries through engagement, not just cash People fund what they help shape. 3. Use feedback as a funding mechanism Most orgs treat surveys as box-checking. But used right, feedback is fundraising foreplay. → Ask donors and partners to co-define what “success” looks like before you report back. Then build dashboards, stories, and events around their metrics. You didn’t just show impact. You made them part of the operating model. 4. Make your “thank you” do heavy lifting Thanking donors isn’t the end of a transaction. It’s the first trust test for future collaboration. → Instead of a generic “thank you,” send: • A 1-minute voice memo with a specific insight you gained from their gift • A sneak peek at a challenge you’re tackling and ask for their perspective • A micro-invite: “Can I get your eyes on something next week?” You’re not closing a loop. You’re opening a door. 5. Build a “Donor OS” (Operating System) Every funder should have a journey, not just a transaction history. → Track things like: • What insight made them first say “I’m in”? • Who do they influence (and who influences them)? • What kind of risk are they comfortable taking? • What internal narrative did your mission fulfill for them? Then tailor comms, invitations, and roles accordingly. Not everyone needs another newsletter but someone does want a seat at the strategy table. With purpose and impact, Mario

Donor stewardship: It's not just about thank-you notes anymore. Here are 5 unconventional techniques I've seen work wonders: 1. Reverse Annual Report: Ask donors to share THEIR impact story. Compile and share with your community. 2. Donor-Beneficiary Pen Pal Program: Facilitate meaningful connections (with appropriate boundaries). 3. "Day in the Life" Shadowing: Invite donors to experience your organization's work firsthand. 4. Failure Transparency Reports: Share what didn't work and what you learned. Honesty builds trust. 5. Donor Skills Database: Match donors' expertise with organizational needs for volunteering or advising. Controversial opinion: Traditional stewardship often treats donors like ATMs. These approaches treat them like true partners in your mission. The most creative stewardship idea you've implemented or encountered? Share below! Remember: Effective stewardship isn't about what you do FOR donors, but what you do WITH them. P.S. Stewardship doesn't have to be expensive. The most meaningful gestures often cost nothing but time and thoughtfulness.

Most galas don’t fail because of attendance. They fail because there’s no strategy behind the room. Some people would say revenue is a numbers game, if you can fill the room with 350-400 guests you are successful. In just four years, the event I led grew from $300,000 to $950,000. Not by chasing more guests. Not by adding more auction packages. But by building a donor strategy first—and letting the event magnify it. The difference isn’t the crowd. It’s who is in the room—and how they were cultivated before they walked in. What changed: Lead gifts secured before invitations went out Host Committee became network builders, not planners Multi-year Chair Major donor pipeline built 12–18 months in advance Event positioned as a moment of momentum, not the starting point What didn’t change: Expenses held steady at 14–16% Room size stayed relatively consistent The mission stayed the anchor This is the shift: A gala is not a fundraising event. It is the visible output of a year-round donor strategy. It’s not attendance. It’s strategy. This is the donor strategy I will be sharing in my book. A donor framework for designing events that don’t just look successful, but are built to scale. Coming May 2026… #Fundraising #NonprofitLeadership #GalaStrategy #MajorGifts #DonorExperience #Philanthropy #NonprofitGrowth #DevelopmentStrategy

These are the 10 things I did to blow past historical results and generate 400% increase in annual revenue when I ran an annual giving program inside a nonprofit: 1. Assessed everything the department did and cut any activity that wasn't producing at least a 2:1 return on investment. This created the time we needed to invest in higher value activities. 2. Implemented a stewardship program where we called to thank every donor who sent a gift of $100 or more each month (that's what we had capacity to do), sent handwritten thank you notes to any donor who gave a gift of $500 or more each month (again, capacity), and personally signed (w/notes) each thank you letter. 3. Started calling lapsed donors asking them to renew their support and sharing the impact they made with their prior giving. 4. Overhauled the org's newsletter to stop talking about internal stuff and celebrating internal staff and refocused it on telling great stories of impact made possible by donors. 5. Pulled Mid-level donors out of the standard communications stream and created a unique stream of mailings, emails, and calls to more effectively engage Mid-level donors. 6. Moved our fundraising communications from talking only about positive outcome stories to telling stories of human need, crisis, and opportunity, and asked donors to step in to help solve the problem. 7. Shifted our donor acquisition strategy from "target everyone" to focusing on finding high net worth supporters who were interested in investing in healthcare in our community. 8. Cut the number of community events we managed and shifted those hours to direct donor relationship building and engagement. 9. Launched a monthly giving program. 10. Asked our top donors to double their giving. Every nonprofit is different. But most of the things that hold us back from raising more money for our cause are pretty similar. What can you pick from this list that will help you raise more for your cause this year?

Your year-end campaign just wrapped. You hit your goal. The team is celebrating. So you send a thank you email to everyone who gave. Just like every other nonprofit. And just like every other nonprofit, you watch those donors go silent until next December. Here's what actually works: Your donors don't need another receipt with a heart emoji. They need to feel like insiders. The nonprofits converting year-end donors into retained supporters follow a 14-day stewardship workflow: Day 1: Text thank you (warm, personal, no ask) Day 3: Email with a single powerful stat ("Because of donors like you, we served 847 families this month") Day 7: Behind-the-scenes story (what's happening RIGHT NOW because of their gift) Day 10: A note from someone they helped (video, quote, or short letter) Day 14: The invitation (not an ask—an opportunity to go deeper: monthly giving, volunteer, event) But here's the part most people miss: not everyone gets the same sequence. Who gave for the first time? Who increased their gift? Who lapsed and came back? Use that data to trigger different follow-ups: First-time donors get a welcome call from a board member before the email sequence starts. Lapsed donors who returned get a "we missed you" message acknowledging their history. Upgraders get recognized for their increased commitment with a personal thank you from your ED. The workflow isn't complicated. But it requires two things most nonprofits skip: segmenting your donor data and building the sequence before the campaign ends. Stop treating year-end like the finish line. It's the starting gate. And the real relationship-building begins the moment they click "donate."

The best fundraisers I know understand something important: the relationship with a major donor doesn't pause after the gift comes in. It deepens. But too many organizations go quiet between asks. The donor hears from you in November when the gift closes, then again when you need something. That's not a relationship. That's a transaction with a long gap in the middle. Here are 𝟳 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 that keep major donors close year-round: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 - 60 to 90 days after the gift, call to share what their money made possible. Two minutes. No ask. Just impact. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 (𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻) - A brief note that has nothing to do with fundraising. "I was thinking of you." That's incredibly powerful. 𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴 - Share news before the public hears it. "I wanted you to hear this from me first." This makes donors feel like partners, not ATMs. 𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Connect them to someone they'd genuinely benefit from knowing. This positions you as someone who adds value, not just someone who asks for checks. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 - Let them see the work in action. Nothing replaces seeing impact with your own eyes. 𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲" 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Ask for their professional opinion on something real. People love to be valued for their expertise, not just their wallet. 𝟳. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Once a year, send a personal summary of what their cumulative giving has made possible. Not a generic annual report. A letter written specifically to them. These touchpoints only work if you build a system around them. Block time. Track contacts. Set reminders. This is moves management at its core. The fundraisers who retain major donors year after year are not doing anything magical. They are showing up consistently, adding value, and making donors feel like they matter beyond the gift. That is what earns you the right to ask again.

Most donors don’t stop giving because they lose interest. They stop because they never feel 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯. A recent study found that 80% 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮 “𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂” 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 if they’re going to give again. But here’s the problem: 65% 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁. That gap? It’s not about marketing. It’s about 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦. You might call it 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸-𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱— the moment where a donor decides if your organization is worth trusting again. Here’s the good news: A thank-you doesn’t have to be expensive. It has to be 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭. Here are a few creative ways to cross that threshold: – A handwritten note from a program staff member – A short video update texted directly to the donor – A voice memo thank-you from the ED – A child’s drawing mailed from the field – A surprise “thank you” postcard 3 months after giving – An invitation to a no-ask Zoom coffee – A social media shout-out (with permission) – An anniversary message one year later – A thank-you call from a board member – A behind-the-scenes photo from the project they funded – A “you made this happen” email with before/after impact Gratitude isn’t an obligation. It’s your greatest 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿, “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲”?

Handwritten donor cards? Great idea…if you have a working postal service. I live in South Africa. Our postal service is basically non-existent. We just don’t send cards via post anymore. So what’s the alternative? Here are a few things I’ve seen work just as well: - A 30-second WhatsApp voice note from a programme manager or even a beneficiary - A short thank-you video shot on your phone (doesn’t need to be fancy) - A “just for you” update sent via email: a behind-the-scenes photo, a sneak peek story or a private voice note from the field - If donors are nearby and gave a substantial amount, consider an in-person drop off or courier of something simple but thoughtful from your work (a framed photo, something made by someone in your organisation). It's not about the format. It’s making the thank you personal, specific and surprising. That’s what sticks. What’s the most meaningful thank-you you’ve ever received (or given) as part of donor stewardship?