5 Stewardship Tactics for Different Types of Donors

Imagine you just received a thank-you card from a nonprofit you contributed to. The card simply refers to you as “donor” and doesn’t reference any of your past contributions. If you’re like most donors, you might feel like your support wasn’t fully appreciated and put your money towards a different cause.

That’s why donor stewardship is so important. This process helps you tailor how you say “thank you” to different types of supporters and strengthen these relationships intentionally so you can retain donors, grow revenue, and build genuine relationships that last. Thoughtful follow-up and stewardship shows donors they matter beyond a single transaction and that their support is actively moving the mission forward.

Many nonprofits are so busy with events, data entry, and grant deadlines that donor engagement often falls by the wayside, even though keeping current donors is more cost-effective than constantly finding new ones. This guide breaks donor engagement and stewardship down into five donor types with clear, manageable tactics you can start using right away, without a huge team or high-budget production.

1. The First-Time Donor: Craft a Welcome Email Sequence

The first 48 hours after a new donor gives are critical for validating their decision. A fast, warm response builds trust far more than a polished message that arrives weeks later. Adapt this welcome email sequence for your nonprofit’s needs:

• Email 1 (immediate): Combine the receipt with a brief, warm thank-you that clearly acknowledges their gift.

• Email 2 (about 1 week later): Share a short story about one person or community member whose gift helped without asking for a donation.
• Email 3 (about 2 weeks later): Invite them to follow you on social media or subscribe to your newsletter.

This sequence confirms their gift, shows impact, and keeps them connected while your team stays focused on higher-touch work.

For somewhat larger first-time gifts, add one extra personal touch. A quick phone video, voicemail, or handwritten postcard referencing their gift can make them feel truly seen. Keep the language donor-centric to reinforce that they are a key part of your mission.

2. The Event Attendee: Bridge the Gap from "Bidder" to "Supporter"

Event attendees, especially at auctions or galas, may have come for a fun night out or to support a friend, but aren’t committed to your mission yet. Stewardship here is about turning a one-off transaction into the start of a relationship. Keep these best practices in mind to make the transition seamless:

Don’t Let the Receipt Be the Last Word

The winning-bid receipt is required for tax purposes, but it is not stewardship. After the event, send a separate follow-up that:

• Recaps the total raised and celebrates what guests accomplished together.
• Connects their bids or paddle-raises to tangible outcomes, like “You funded a semester of counseling for 30 students.”

To ensure a speedy turnaround, ClickBid recommends moving from paper bidding to mobile bidding—that way, you’ll have better contact data and giving records that support fast, personalized follow-up.

Simplify the Data

After the event, make sure attendees do not get stuck in a separate spreadsheet. Moving event and attendee data into your main donor database quickly—ideally through seamless integration—helps ensure no one falls through the cracks and makes it easier to steward them in future campaigns. Also, use helpful visual aides (like infographics) and tie the data to concrete impact to make it simple to understand. 

Send a “Non-Ask” Event Update

About three months after the event, send a non-ask update to attendees sharing a photo or brief story about the project that their giving supported and concrete results. This keeps you on their radar without immediately asking for another gift. 

3. The Recurring Donor: Treat Them Like Insiders

Recurring donors provide steady, predictable revenue that lets your organization plan beyond the next campaign. They should feel like insiders and partners, not just supporters on autopay. Here’s how to steward these committed donors:

• Create a quarterly “Insider Update” just for recurring donors. This might include key numbers that show their collective impact, behind-the-scenes photos or “day in the life” snapshots, or information about a challenge you are facing and how their steady support helps. According to UpMetrics, this kind of transparent communication aligns with strong impact reporting practices that focus on real outcomes, not just polished wins.
• Celebrate their “Giving Anniversary.” Track each recurring donor’s “giving anniversary” and acknowledge it with a simple message like, “You’ve been powering this work for one year today—thank you for sticking with our community.” Once a year, send a physical memento, like a sticker, bookmark, or handwritten card—and consider providing a dedicated email address or contact person so they know they are a priority.

4. The Major Donor: High-Touch Connection

Major donors may give larger amounts, but they are still people first. Automation can assist, yet genuine, high-touch connection is what builds trust and long-term partnership.

For major donors, the key is to not only reach out when you need funding. Invite major donors to share advice or perspective on a new program idea, a campaign, or how you frame your impact so they feel their insights matter as much as their gifts. If they funded a specific program, make sure their updates focus on that program’s progress and stories rather than generic news, demonstrating that you heard and respect their priorities.

Also, remember that a short phone call can really stand out amongst the flood of digital communications your donors undoubtedly receive.. Challenge yourself or your team to call a few major donors each week just to say “thank you” and share one brief impact story. When possible, offer a small site visit or virtual Q&A with a program lead so they can see their impact firsthand; this list of questions to ask major donors can help you structure those conversations.

5. The Grantmaker: Data-Forward Communications

Foundations and grantmakers are a unique type of donor who need proof more than persuasion. Stewardship for them means transparency, reliability, and clear, well-organized financial and impact data. 

Most grants run on a tight schedule, but instead of only reaching out when the official report is due, schedule a brief midpoint update. A short email halfway through the grant period that shares one early “win,” notes any adjustments, and confirms that you are on track can build trust and demonstrate professionalism.

In order to provide grantors the information they need for effective stewardship, you’ll have to manage a mountain of data, from audit findings and donations to program participation and outcomes. Using tools that integrate cleanly with your CRM helps keep this information accurate and easy to report when funders ask for it, making reporting feel like a natural extension of your daily operations rather than a scramble. When your systems connect, you can quickly produce reports, segment communications for specific funders, and confidently answer questions about performance.

Once you have identified your key donor types and tactics for each, gather your fundraising, events, and grant staff to define what stewardship means in your organization based on your goals and unique supporter base. Then, map out the touchpoints you will commit to for first-time donors, event attendees, recurring donors, major donors, and grantmakers, and decide which can be automated and which should be personal and high-touch. Over time, these focused stewardship tactics will help you boost retention, deepen engagement, and build a community of supporters who feel genuinely valued and connected to your mission.