Stewardship is a state of mind

Every now and then, I’ll read something amazing and say to myself, “I sure wish I had written that.” A recent article in Nonprofit Quarterly by Rhea Wong is one of those.

Her piece, titled Stewardship Isn’t a Thank You Note — It’s a System, illuminates the difference between an impersonal by-the-numbers roster of touches and a heartfelt effort to foster in donors an authentic sense of belonging.

The piece is a response to a question posed by a fundraiser who has done “all the right things” — thank you notes, impact reports, phone calls, etc., but doesn’t see any lift in retention.

Wong writes, “When I give to a nonprofit, I don’t give to be thanked (though you shouldn’t forget to thank people). I give to feel something, to be part of something, and to make something better.” She notes that there are many moments in our lives that use rituals to mark a passage from strangers to community members. That includes weddings, bar mitzvahs, intentional communities, graduations, and more. But not nonprofits.

Nonprofits, she writes, “don’t initiate donors. They thank them. They send letters, make calls, and host events. But nowhere is there a moment that says: you’ve crossed a threshold. You belong to our mission now. You’re part of our tribe.”

Admittedly, our own research shows that not every donor to every organization wants to belong, but those that do are likely to be among your most fervent — and generous — supporters.

Creating and reinforcing an authentic sense of belonging begins with questions for you and your team: “Do we believe in belonging? Do we want to initiate people into our movement? Are we willing to build rituals that say you’re one of us?”

If you think this is all hooey and it’s all about money, that’s a fair position, but it might be short-sighted.

If you, the fundraiser, don’t believe in fostering belonging, donors will pick up on the inauthenticity. If you do believe in it, your communications will reflect your own commitment. That’s why I say stewardship is not a calendar of touches. First and foremost, it’s a state of mind.

Of course there’s a catch. In our experience, providing deep stewardship is often seen as being at odds with short-term income maximization. CFOs are notorious for demanding to see the ROI of each contact, each touch. That is not how it works, of course; stewardship is the cumulative total of all the ways we make donors feel seen, appreciated, and much more than an ATM with legs.

Rhea Wong shares plenty of examples of heartfelt communications and rituals that could foster connection and belonging. But she also notes that there’s no recipe or template for this; no one has written a playbook you can follow. It begins with your own commitment to connection and belonging, and to listening deeply to your donors.

In all our years at Sea Change, there are only a couple of organizations we’ve worked with that prioritize donor belonging. Not coincidentally, donors to these organizations exhibit an exceptional level of loyalty and trust that build lifelong relationships, translating into increased donor value.

Read the article. Think about what rituals and touches would convey to your donors a sense of belonging. And let us know how it goes!