Donor Journey Part 3: Cultivation and Stewardship

In 2010, the Christmas after Sam and Martha’s generous $10,000 gift, Karen put together a gift basket of things that were personal and made by children.  When Karen delivered the basket to the couple’s home that December, she spoke with Martha in person for the first time.  It was a brief, but very pleasant visit.  Martha was very grateful for the gift and the thought behind it. This started their personal relationship.

After that first visit with Martha on her doorstep, Karen called to see if she could come visit again.  Sam and Martha said yes, and after the next visit, they told Karen she was welcome anytime.  They said to stop by whenever she wanted.

Karen was becoming a regular visitor and learning more about Sam and Martha, including the fact that they had included The Salvation Army in their estate plan!  Karen brought the Planned Giving Director, Matt, into the relationship.  Sam and Martha gave $10,000 for the next two Christmases, then in the third year of our relationship cultivation (2012), they increased their annual giving to $21,000.

Karen took the time to get to know Sam and Martha.  She didn’t want to be pushy, but she knew that they were important donors to be cultivated.

Getting your donors to migrate to high-value giving levels requires both cultivation and stewardship.

What’s the difference between donor cultivation and stewardship? 

• Stewardship: Communications with your donors that do not include an “ask.”  These stewardship touchpoints should recognize the donor for their generosity and inform them of the impact of their gift.
• Cultivation: Communications with your donor that directly encourage them to make a gift.  These cultivation touchpoints often ask the donor to increase their support.
   

5 Steps to Come Alongside Your Donor on Their Journey Toward a Transformational Gift

1. Meet face to face.  Thank the donor for their recent gift.  Ask them to coffee to learn about why they choose to give to your organization.  Ask them what specific programs they’re interested in and how they’d like to keep informed about them.  Ask their advice pertaining to your organization.  Listen to your donors.
2. Show your program in action.  Take the donor on a “behind the scenes” tour of your organization.  Invite them to a “special invite only” event.  
3. Offer volunteer opportunities.  Ask the donor if they’d like to volunteer at an upcoming volunteer day.  If they’re elderly (or otherwise not up for being on their feet), suggest they assist in an advisory role.  Perhaps they’d like to serve on your board or provide ad hoc guidance.
4. Provide updates.  Share what’s new!  Is your organization growing by leaps and bounds?  Are you struggling and need help in a certain area?  Did you need publicity for an upcoming event, and your donor has ties to the local broadcast community?
5. Know donor tipping points.  What does a typical donor to your Division or Corps look like before they make their first major gift, or before they add The Salvation Army to their estate plans?  Most organizations see patterns in their donor behavior before moving to a transformational giving level.  For instance, the donor has given for 6+ years consecutively, or their last gift was above $3,000 and was 50 percent higher than their second-to-last gift.  Dig into your donor data to learn their tipping points, and to determine when would be a good time to cultivate your donor to a higher giving amount.
   
   

This is #3 in a series of 5 posts about the Donor Journey.  Check back to learn more about Sam and Martha and their Donor Journey with The Salvation Army.