Effective stewardship goes far beyond thank-you notes and branded swag. It is a strategic, data-informed approach aligned with the donor journey and the work of front-line fundraisers. Today’s donors expect engagement that reflects their values and deepens their connection to your mission. This session explores how stewardship, gift officers, and leadership can collaborate to create donor experiences that inspire loyalty and elevate your cause as a philanthropic priority. Learn how to use data to guide decisions, personalize outreach, and build experiential stewardship plans that exceed fundraising objectives through intentional practices.
Learning objectives:
Session participants will learn:
1) Understanding how stewardship plans that align with major gift officers’ strategies can enhance the donor journey and lead to increased philanthropic investment.
2) Be able to successfully demonstrate how to develop stewardship plans using donor data and engagement metrics, rather than relying solely on gift size, to personalize donor experiences.
3) Apply principles of strategic cultivation to design stewardship plans that elevate your organization’s priority in the donor’s philanthropic decision-making.
4) Identifying methods for creating experiential stewardship strategies that foster inclusive engagement and deepen donor commitment across diverse communities.
Full participation in this program is applicable for 1.0 points in Category 1.B -Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification
Gary Laermer, Senior Consultant, DBD Group, is an experienced nonprofit and fundraising professional who brings a unique perspective from leading organizations and collaborating with campaign consultants. He understands what nonprofit leaders need from a trusted advisor and partner. Gary has developed campaigns securing transformational gifts up to eight figures. He has held senior roles with YMCAs, the Boy Scouts of America, two major New York medical centers, and Pace University.