Donor Relations and Stewardship to Engage Annual Giving Donors

Lynne M. Wester@donorguru

Road Map

• Why Annual Donors Matter• What if?• Status Quo?• Techniques• Best Practices

Why Annual Donors Matter

• Small and Mighty• Grants, Rankings and Other Beasts• Retention Percentage• Test Donors• Pipeline

What if?

• You were able to raise your first time donor retention from 48% to 58%?

• What would that means in terms of $s and Donors?

• How does that effect your pipeline?• Happy Donors tell…• Unhappy Donors tell…

Status Quo?

• Receipt within 48 hours• Acknowledgment within…?

• Is that all?• Don’t send a decal, magnet, pen, etc• Don’t ask again right away

Techniques

• First Time Donors Need their own program

Segments to Watch For

• Loyal Donors• Married Alums• Dual Degrees• Widowed Donors/Golden Oldies• Monthly Donors• Employees/Faculty/Staff• Recent Graduates/Younger Donors• Digital Donors

Ideas

• Focus on endurance of gift, not size of gift• One special touch a year aimed at their

population• Channel Matters• Tell Stories• Show Impact

Best Practices

LUST

LUST

Report Impact

The BEST!!

Thank You, Questions?

• Lynne M. Wester• www.donorrelationsguru.com• @donorguru