Thanks For Everything! Stewardship Strategies For The Small Anti-Violence Organization

Alyson CulinDevelopment & Marketing DirectorOrange County Rape Crisis Centeralyson@ocrcc.org

What Is Stewardship?

• Definition: Maintaining good relations with people who are already supporting your agency.

• NOT cultivation, which is bringing in new people.

• Today’s focus: Strategy around thanking• Consider resources and

return on investment (ROI)• Create a strategy, not a checklist

Stewardship

CultivationSolicitation

Who is Your Audience?

• Donors• Volunteers• Board of Directors (current and former)

• Staff (current and former)

• Grantors• ??

Thanking Donors – Process • Each task, who is responsible for it, and general timeline

• Consider separation of duties

• Legal and contractual (grant) requirements• Tax deductible info

• Technical info• How to use the database• Who to contact if difficulties• Templates for letters

• Alternate instructions for different types of giving• Different plan for different levels of giving• Checks vs credit card vs online giving• Recurring gifts• In-kind donations• Corporations, businesses, groups

ASC gets and opens mail

DMD processes deposit

(ASC takes deposit to bank)

(ED approves deposit)

(Bookkeeper…)

ASC enters donations into

database and prints TY letters/envelopes

ED signs and adds a short handwritten

message

DMD adds a personal note to

contacts

ASC stuffs, mails. New donors get

welcome package.

ED writes note card for

acknowledgements

ED writes handwritten note card within about a month

Board (Exec Cmte) calls $100+ donors

within about a month

Thanking Donors – The TY Letter

• Warm, sincere, quick.

• New letter every 6-12 months.

• Special letter for each campaign or event.

Thanking Donors – Components of the TY Letter• Date• Donor’s name and address• Personal greeting (i.e. “Dear Mary,” NOT “Dear friend,”)• IMPACT of gift

• Donor-centered language (i.e. “you,” “your gift,” etc.)• Feelings > Facts

• Special events, recent news, etc. Offer a tour/visit.• Who the donor should contact with questions.• Real signature with a personalized note.• Tax info

Thanking Donors – The TY Call• Short time investment and has the potential for large

impact• Much easier to convince your Board to make TY calls

rather than solicitation calls!• Components:

• Hello• Thank you• Pause• Question• Thank you

Call Date Donor Name Left message or chatted Notes

Sample Call Report Form

Thanking Donors – Ideas?• Handwritten note card• Phone call• Email• Call or note from the ED• Call or note from the Board• Call or note from a program staff member• Note from a client• Photograph of your agency in action• Invite for a tour• Lunch or appreciation event for biggest donors• ???

Appreciating Volunteers• Communicating authentic gratitude• Ideas

• Volunteer socials: parties, potlucks • Provide meals at trainings, meetings• Small gifts• Recognition in newsletter, social media, etc.• Volunteer awards• Saying a simple thank you• Writing/emailing notes• ???

Interacting with Supporters• Important to have real relationships and display sincere,

personalized gratitude• Create opportunities to interact that don’t ask for money

(or have a passive ask)• Communications that don’t ask for money. Personal is

best.• Identify biggest supporters and create a specialized plan

for them.

Takeaways

• SINCERITY

• Create a strategy, not a checklist• Consider resources & ROI

• What is one idea from today that you want to try to implement immediately?