125. Making Stewardship Personal, Scalable, Sustainable
About this episode
You’re working so hard to love on your donors. You want stewardship to feel personal and heartfelt. At the same time, you feel pressure to scale, meet goals, and protect your team from burnout.
In 2026, donor expectations are higher, AI tools are everywhere, and many nonprofit teams feel stretched thin. You’re not imagining the tension between personalization and volume.
In my experience, the answer is not doing more, it’s doing the right things, for the right donors, at the right level.
The Core Stewardship Framework
Stewardship is about remembered moments, not message volume. Donors remember how they felt when you reached out, and whether your message matched what they care about. They don’t track how many emails you sent them.
You don’t have to treat every donor the same to treat every donor with care.
A simple three-tier model protects your energy while honoring every supporter:
High touch for the few.
Mid touch for the loyal many.
Automated touch for the broader base.
You’ll also want to map stewardship in 90-day chunks, not in December panic. Plan ahead for your top donors and work the plan instead of reacting to emergencies.
Finally, use automation and AI to support, not replace, relationships. Automate receipts, reminders, and updates, but keep your human tone and judgment.
Step 1: Redefine Stewardship as “Remembered Moments”
After nearly 30 years in major gifts, I can tell you: donors don’t talk about “all the communications.” They recall moments that mattered:
The call you made after a crisis.
The handwritten note that named something personal about their gift.
The visit where your story aligned perfectly with their passion.
Research reinforces this: donors stay when they feel appreciated, informed about impact, and personally connected.
Try shifting your team’s focus from “How many touches did we send?” to “Which moments will donors remember this quarter?”
Step 2: Build a Simple Three-Tier Stewardship Model
Here’s how to structure what I call the “Three-Tier Stewardship System.”
Tier 1: High Touch (Top 25–50 donors)
Your top investors, those with high potential or strategic influence. Offer:
Personal calls and visits
Handwritten notes tied to specific impact
Authentic video messages (recorded on your phone)
Occasional texts or emails tied to key moments
Tier 2: Mid Touch (Loyal Core)
Your consistent givers and recurring donors. Strategies that work well include:
Segmented emails by interest area
Small-group briefings or Zoom updates
Occasional notes or calls
Tier 3: Automated Touch (Broader Base)
Everyone else still deserves thanks and clarity about impact, just more efficiently.
Automated thank-you receipts
Quarterly impact emails by segment
Re-engagement messages for lapsed donors
Remember: you’re not assigning worth, you’re assigning levels of labor so your team can sustain this work.
Step 3: Use AI and Automation in Smart, Human Ways
Many fundraisers worry that automation will make stewardship feel robotic. The key is using tools to amplify, not replace, your personal touch.
Here are a few practical examples:
Automate the basics: Configure your giving platform to send branded, warm thank-you receipts instantly, then follow up personally within a few days for top donors.
Schedule quarterly impact updates: Write 3–4 email versions tied to core programs and send them to donors by segment.
Use AI as a drafting partner: Have AI draft templates or summaries, then personalize each message before sending.
This approach removes friction and saves time, without losing authenticity.
Step 4: Create a Simple Quarterly Stewardship Map
Here’s how to build your 90-day stewardship plan in under an hour:
1. Identify your top 25–50 donors. Select based on giving level, potential, loyalty, or influence.
2. Assign one touch per month for each donor:
Month 1: Gratitude moment (call or note).
Month 2: Impact update (story tied to their gift).
Month 3: Invitation (visit, small event, or next-step conversation).
3. Block stewardship time. Schedule two “stewardship hours” each week, one for calls/videos, one for notes/emails.
Try This in the Next Hour
To put this into action now:
List your first 25 Tier 1 donors and plan three monthly touches each.
Use AI to draft and save three short thank-you templates by tier.
Block two stewardship hours weekly on your calendar for the next four weeks.
I’d Love to Hear from You
I’d love to hear how you’re rethinking stewardship this year. Connect with me on LinkedIn and share one practice that feels both human and sustainable for your team.
You carry a lot, and your work with donors is sacred. My hope is that you choose systems that sustain your heart and your mission.
“The answer is not doing more. It’s doing the right things, for the right donors, at the right level.”
Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert, Keynote Speaker, Author
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