Donor Stewardship
Turn one-time gifts into lifelong supporters through great stewardship.
For: Nonprofit fundraisers and development staff
What you’ll learn
- Build a repeatable donor thank-you system that fires within 48 hours
- Measure and improve your donor retention rate
- Design a year-long donor stewardship journey
- Convert first-time donors into second-gift, then recurring, supporters
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
Stewardship vs. fundraising: what you’re really doing
5 min
- 2
Why retention beats acquisition
5 min
- 3
The thank-you within 48 hours
5 min
- 4
Reporting impact: closing the loop
4 min
- 5
The stewardship cycle & moves management
6 min
- 6
Segmenting donors & the donor journey
4 min
- 7
First gift to second gift — and recurring giving
5 min
Sources & further reading
- Association of Fundraising Professionals (Fundraising Effectiveness Project) — FEP Quarterly Benchmark Reports — donor retention & new-donor retention data
- Bloomerang — A Guide to Donor Retention: Why It Matters for Nonprofits
- Penelope Burk / Cygnus Applied Research — Donor-Centered Fundraising — the thank-you and retention research
- Neon One — The Generosity Report — multi-year donor value and retention
- Network for Good / Bonterra — Recurring & monthly giving benchmarks for nonprofits
This course is educational and provides general information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and volunteer-screening best practices. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change over time — consult a qualified attorney about your organization’s specific obligations.