Effectively Stewarding Major Donors for Retention and Growth
Scaling Major Gifts. Strategies, action steps, and ideas for scaling major gifts by Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker.
After nearly three decades in the world of major gifts, I can say with certainty: the way we steward our major donors is the single most important factor in achieving lasting fundraising success. Whether you’re a major gift officer, development director, executive director, or board member, your role in donor stewardship directly impacts your organization’s ability to retain and grow its most significant supporters.
Why Stewardship Matters, Now More Than Ever
In my experience, major donors are the backbone of nonprofit fundraising. Recent data confirms this: about 88% of total dollars raised come from just 12% of donors. With such a concentrated source of support, even a small shift in retention can mean the difference between meeting your mission or falling short. Yet, I’ve seen too many organizations focus on acquisition at the expense of stewardship, missing the opportunity to deepen relationships with those who already believe in their cause.
Common Stewardship Challenges
Over the years, I’ve observed several recurring pain points:
Inconsistent Acknowledgment: Donors sometimes wait weeks for a thank-you, or worse, never receive one at all.
One-Size-Fits-All Communication: Generic updates and mass emails fail to resonate with high-value supporters.
Lack of Personalization: Donors want to feel known and valued, not treated as just another name in the database.
Limited Recognition: Recognition is often limited to an annual report, missing opportunities for more meaningful engagement.
Data Silos: Teams struggle to track donor preferences, giving history, and engagement touchpoints, leading to missed opportunities.
Strategies That Drive Retention and Growth
Here’s what I’ve found works to overcome these challenges:
1. Timely, Personal Acknowledgment
A prompt, heartfelt thank-you is foundational. In our stewardship matrix, we commit to emailing a tax receipt within 24 hours and following up with a personal phone call to major donors within 48 hours. Handwritten notes or small, thoughtful gifts can go a long way.
2. Segmented and Personalized Communication
Tailor your updates to each donor’s interests and past giving. For example, if a donor supports your education program, send them stories and impact reports specific to that area. I’ve seen organizations use donor management software to automate and track these touches, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
3. Meaningful Recognition
Beyond listing names in an annual report, consider hosting exclusive appreciation events, featuring donors in newsletters, or adding their names to a donor wall (with permission). Public and private recognition should be part of your stewardship plan.
4. Structured Upgrade Paths
One approach I’ve seen work well is to create a formal major donor club, with tiered benefits and regular opportunities for engagement. This not only encourages increased giving but fosters a sense of belonging.
Case Study: Turning a One-Time Gift Into a Multi-Year Partnership
Several years ago, I worked with a mid-sized health nonprofit that received an unexpected $25,000 gift from a new donor - let’s call her “Linda.” At the time, the organization didn’t have a formal major donor stewardship plan, but we recognized the opportunity and decided to be intentional about Linda’s experience.
What They Did Differently
1. Immediate, Personalized Acknowledgment
Within 24 hours of receiving Linda’s gift, the executive director called her personally to express gratitude and learn more about her interest in their mission. They followed up with a handwritten note from a board member and a personalized welcome packet that included stories about the impact of her support.
2. Customized Engagement
During her initial call, Linda shared that her passion was supporting mental health initiatives. They made a point to invite her to a site visit at one of their mental health clinics, where she could meet staff and see her gift in action. They also sent her quarterly impact reports focused specifically on mental health programming.
3. Meaningful Recognition
Rather than a public announcement, Linda preferred private recognition. They honored her wishes by inviting her to a small, private luncheon with program leaders and beneficiaries, allowing her to see firsthand the difference she was making.
4. Ongoing Relationship Building
They set reminders in our CRM to check in with Linda every few months, sometimes just to share good news, other times to invite her to events or provide updates on projects she funded. Importantly, they never asked for another gift until they had demonstrated clear impact and value.
The Results
Over the next three years, Linda became one of their most engaged supporters. She increased her annual giving to $50,000, joined our campaign steering committee, and eventually made a $250,000 planned gift commitment. Her feedback? She felt “seen, heard, and truly valued,” which inspired her to deepen her investment.
Key Takeaways
Personalized, timely acknowledgment sets the tone for a lasting relationship.
Listening to donor interests and preferences is crucial for meaningful engagement.
Consistent, impact-focused communication builds trust and loyalty.
Stewardship is about relationships, not just transactions.
This experience should reinforce that even a single, well-stewarded gift can blossom into a transformative partnership if we take the time to listen, engage, and show genuine appreciation.
Recommended Tools for Stewardship
To put these strategies into action, I recommend exploring:
DonorPerfect: Comprehensive donor management, automated acknowledgments, and segmentation tools.
Little Green Light: Great for smaller organizations transitioning from spreadsheets, with strong integration options.
CharityEngine: All-in-one solution with event management and workflow automation.
Qgiv: Especially helpful for event-based stewardship and peer-to-peer engagement.
Virtuous CRM: Excellent for automating personalized donor journeys at scale.
An Invitation for you
If there’s one thing my career has taught me, it’s that stewardship is not a one-time act but an ongoing relationship. The organizations that prioritize donor care, personalization, and recognition are the ones that thrive, even in challenging times. I encourage you to share your own stewardship successes or challenges. Let’s learn from each other and continue to raise the bar for our sector.
What strategies have worked for you? What questions do you have about stewarding major donors? Share in the comments below or connect with me on LinkedIn - I’d love to hear your stories and keep the conversation going!
Keep transforming,
Tammy Zonker
Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker
Fundraising Transformed
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