In fundraising, we talk a lot about finding new donors, cultivating them, and asking them for their first gift. But most gifts come from donors who've already given, not new donors. This article is about how we treat these valuable people, helping them give more, now and in the future.

So let's talk about stewardship. You may have noticed that large fundraising organizations often have a "Director of Stewardship" or "Stewardship Coordinator" - someone who is dedicated to working with donors who've already given.

However, in small or medium sized organizations, you rarely see "Stewardship" in anyone's job title or job description. Does this mean than only large groups can afford to pay attention to donors who've already given?

Of course not. But it does mean that stewardship as an activity to be supported and invested in tends to slip off the radar screen. Often, if there's not a dedicated budget and no one is accountable for making it happen, it doesn't happen. And gift renewals don't happen at the rate they should happen, either.

Here are two suggestions for integrating stewardship into your organization's fundraising workplan:

1) Decide how you want to segment your donors for purposes of stewardship. My recommendation is to put donors who've given above a certain level together in a group as persons needing a customized annual stewardship plan. Additional donors who've given but not yet at that level can be added to this group - but only if you know they have the capacity to give more. Members of this group - usually rather small in size - can first receive a phone call, or a personal visit or a Zoom session with the staffer who secured their gift(s), with the purpose of understanding how and how often they'd like to engage with your organization during the year. Then do what they asked for the first year, and then ask them how that went and whether they'd like for you to involve them differently. The key is to ask them and then honor their preferences.

Other donors giving at lower levels do not need customized plans each year, but...

2) Every time you attract a new donor at the lower levels - or when you start your systematic stewardship effort - send them a Thank you and Welcome email with a short survey embedded. In the "questions" (don't call it a survey - that sounds optional), you ask them (for example) how often they would like to hear from your organization; whether by email, US mail, text, etc.; whether (or not) they would like to be offered thank-you gifts, etc., or whether they might like to volunteer for your group (if you need volunteers). And then follow their preferences, just as you do in the individually customized plans for major donors.

Many organizations have creative and mission-specific ways to thank and further engage their donors.

Just make sure you know how your donors WANT to be thanked and further engaged. They can be your most valuable assets as a fundraiser.

Finally, make sure you put these donor preferences for stewardship in your CRM platform. It’s not helpful to ask what donors want if you don't have easy ways to record and implement their preferences.