Starting a Stewardship Program

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Starting a StewardshipProgram

• Patricia Gibbons Haylon 83
• Director of Special Events and Donor Relations
• College of the Holy Cross
• June Putnam-Goldsmith 07
• Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations
• University of San Francisco

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Introductions

• Trish Gibbons Haylon
• Director Special Events Donor Relations
• June Putnam-Goldsmith
• Director Stewardship Donor Relations

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Agenda

• What is Stewardship?
• How did our programs start?
• Why is stewardship important to fundraisers?
• How to involve the fundraisers
• Is there a line between what is meaningful and
  what is redundant?
• The best way to say thanks?

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Stewardship

• Stewardship is a sense of personal responsibility
  for taking care of something that is not one's
  own.
• Stewardship assures donors that their gift is
  being used for its intended purpose and shows
  donors that the institution is fiscally
  responsible.

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Stewardship

• The process whereby an institution cares for and
  protects its philanthropic support - its gifts
  and those who give them in a way that responds
  to the donors expectations and respects the act
  of giving. from CASE

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Stewardship

• is the first and last step in maintaining a
  strong relationship with the donors. -Penelope
  Burk
• Donor Centered Fundraising

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Why is Stewardship Important?
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How did we get here?

• Survey
• Committee
• Task Force
• Capital Campaign
• Beginning
• Middle
• End

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How to involve fundraisers

• Explain that stewardship is an integral part of
  the fundraising
• Build Partnerships
• Give clear objectives
• Show the BIG picture and how you can help them
• Be the come to person
• Stewardship Cultivation
• Reinforce that stewardship is an excellent
  investment because current donors are often the
  best prospects

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• Communicating results is the most important
  thing a fundraiser can do to ensure ongoing
  loyalty.
• Penelope Burk

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Who else should be involved?

• Deans
• University Vice Presidents
• Directors
• Athletic Staff
• Department Heads
• Anyone who benefits from the generosity of a
  major donor (i.e. Professors, Chairs, etc.)

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Internal Survey

• Who to speak with
• What format
• Where to go from here
• Why do one
• How to begin

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University of San Francisco
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College of the Holy Cross
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Is there a line between what is meaningful
and what is redundant?

• Our success stories
• Holy Cross
• University of San Francisco

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You are the donor

• Position yourself as a central resource
• All stewardship flows through you, for
  consistency from year to year and throughout your
  organization
• Avoids duplicate efforts.

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The best way to say thanks?

• Gifts (i.e. lapel pins, books, crystal)
• Thank you notes
• Endowment reporting
• Events (celebrations, dedications etc..)
• Naming Opportunities
• Recognition/Achievement Societies
• Gift Announcements/ Articles in magazine
• Personal visits
• Student recipient thank you
• Direct correspondence from Pres., VP etc.
• Involve major donors when possible (i.e. as
  Trustees or members of an Advisory Board

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The personal touch

• Reports, acknowledgements, gift reciepts,
  scholarships and endowment reporting, etc.
• Personal Stewardship plans
• Other duties as assigned

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Conclusion

• A strong stewardship program should be
• Systematic
• Strategic
• Consistent
• With a strong commitment to
• Quality
• Timeliness
• Efficiency
• Effectiveness

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Questions?