Healthy Habits for Strong Stewardship - A Weekly Practice

If there was something you could do each week that would increase your donor giving and engagement, you’d jump at it, wouldn’t you? 

In this blog series, we’re looking at healthy habits that are most critical to sustain and expand giving. A robust stewardship program doesn’t grow from the short sprint of a fund drive - it has to be a focus year-round. In the last blog, we talked about a daily practice of donor thank yous and gratitude. 

A weekly habit that will change your development work forever is story-telling. Your organization's friends and faithful givers want (and need) to know the impact of your mission in your community. Nothing lights the fires of donor passion for your organization’s work more than the real-life stories of people shaped by it. 

Some nonprofits carve out the top of their weekly staff meetings for sharing stories about the prior week. Some of the best tales of impact will come from your frontline staff or volunteers in the trenches. So however you implement this habit, try to find ways to gather those stories from far and wide. Perhaps you encourage those you serve to submit their own stories and you share those throughout the year each week on your social media or web/news feed. 

This storytelling time to share the ups and downs of your work will also encourage and support your staff and volunteers. It’s a way to acknowledge each other and share the best practices and lessons learned in your programs. In thanking donors, let them know about the incredible story you heard last week about a new family in your housing program. Or the impact of a donated truck at the shelter. As you acknowledge donors for their gifts, you’re able to share the direct impact they’re making.

As you share those stories as leadership and staff, actively look for ways to share them with your organization's friends and donors. We’ll talk a bit about this next week as we look at communicating impact each month. Intentional story-gathering and a culture of shared storytelling amongst your staff and volunteers will be a habit that pays significant dividends in growing your stewardship program.

Even if you’re only able to implement one this year, we hope these habits will help your development work, your staff morale and your mission in the world.

-Tim Smith