How Planting Seeds Will Reap A Rewarding Harvest

It All Starts with A Zucchini

The Zucchini

The Essence of Stewardship

“The essence of stewardship is providing continuing satisfaction and reinforcement to current or past donors. Donors to our organization must be tracked, communicated with, acknowledged, responded to and periodically audited for satisfaction.

The ultimate goal of stewardship is to build lasting relationships with donors by ensuring that their expectations regarding the giving experience are met.”

- from The Artful Journey, by William T. Sturtevant

Where are We Going ?O What does stewardship look like in your

organization?

O Do we define it the same way?

O How do we use it effectively?

O Why do we care about it?

O If you were giving $1,000- How would you want to be treated? How did it make you feel?

Good Stewardship

GodOwns

Everything

Mission

Relationships

Constant

Effective

Transparency

Impact

It should look like this:O Mission: it’s at the heart of WHO your organization is.

(God is central!)

O Relationship: nothing exists without that special human connection.

O Constant: build it over time and remain consistent

O Effective: appeals, newsletter, events and the ‘one on one’ get together

O Transparency: be honest, be open and show the numbers and the effect

O Impact: how donor giving has made a difference.

Bad Stewardship

Bad StewardshipO Stewardship is not:

O What actions lead to unsuccessful stewardship.

O How to tell the difference between the two and how to turn the donor around.

O How to avoid the trap of getting too close to the donor.

Creative Stewardship

Creative StewardshipOHow to creatively steward donors.OGood stewardship requires work.OEffective stewardship comes about by

doing the unexpected for donors.O Identify key people including staff

members who can effectively assist with donor cultivation.

OShowing donors they matter. The Love Letters

How Do We Make it HappenO Cultivation is Starting.

O Don’t Just Sit There, Pick Up The Phone!

O Cultivation is Ongoing!

O Is your correspondence saying the right thing at the right time?

O What are your needs and how will their donation make a difference of the lives of those you serve.

Involving Entire Organization in Stewardship Practices

OHow can you get the CEO & Senior Leadership to get involved with donor cultivation and relationship building.

OHow to train and involve staff members and board members in stewardship.

Conclusion1. Cultivate…Cultivate… - Build

Relationships2. Know Your Mission- Tell Your Story3. Believe in Your Mission!4. It all goes back to the Gospel

message –the ministry of fundraising

Questions & Answers