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Donor Stewardship Workflow

A post-donation engagement workflow that thanks donors, keeps them informed, and cultivates long-term relationships.

Overview

Every donation triggers a personalized stewardship journey. The workflow adapts based on donation amount, donor history, and engagement patterns to maximize retention and upgrade potential.

Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    START((Donation Received)) --> SEGMENT{Donation Amount?}

    SEGMENT -->|Under $100| THANK_EMAIL[Send Thank You Email]
    SEGMENT -->|$100 - $499| THANK_CALL[Personal Thank You Call]
    SEGMENT -->|$500+| THANK_VIP[VIP: Handwritten Note + Call]

    THANK_EMAIL -->|Sent| WAIT_S[/Wait 7 Days/]
    THANK_CALL -->|Reached| WAIT_M[/Wait 5 Days/]
    THANK_CALL -->|No Answer| THANK_EMAIL
    THANK_VIP -->|Completed| WAIT_L[/Wait 3 Days/]

    WAIT_S --> UPDATE_S[Send Impact Update Email]
    WAIT_M --> UPDATE_M[Send Impact Update Email]
    WAIT_L --> UPDATE_VIP[Personal Impact Call]

    UPDATE_S -->|Opened| ENGAGE{Engagement Level?}
    UPDATE_S -->|Not Opened| RETRY[Send Alternative Update]
    UPDATE_M -->|Opened| ENGAGE
    UPDATE_M -->|Not Opened| RETRY
    UPDATE_VIP -->|Reached| INVITE_VIP[Invite to VIP Event]

    RETRY -->|Opened| ENGAGE
    RETRY -->|Not Opened| WAIT_LONG[/Wait 30 Days/]

    ENGAGE -->|High| UPGRADE[Send Upgrade Ask]
    ENGAGE -->|Medium| SUSTAIN[Invite to Sustainer Program]
    ENGAGE -->|Low| NURTURE[Add to Newsletter]

    UPGRADE -->|Donated Again| END_UPGRADED((Upgraded Donor))
    UPGRADE -->|Declined| SUSTAIN
    UPGRADE -->|No Response| SUSTAIN

    SUSTAIN -->|Joined| END_SUSTAINER((Monthly Sustainer))
    SUSTAIN -->|Declined| NURTURE
    SUSTAIN -->|No Response| NURTURE

    INVITE_VIP -->|Attended| END_MAJOR((Major Donor Track))
    INVITE_VIP -->|Declined| SUSTAIN

    NURTURE --> END_ACTIVE((Active in Newsletter))
    WAIT_LONG --> REACTIVATE[Send Re-engagement Email]
    REACTIVATE -->|Engaged| ENGAGE
    REACTIVATE -->|No Response| END_LAPSED((Lapsed - Future Outreach))

    style START fill:#e1f5fe
    style END_UPGRADED fill:#c8e6c9
    style END_SUSTAINER fill:#c8e6c9
    style END_MAJOR fill:#c8e6c9
    style END_ACTIVE fill:#e8f5e9
    style END_LAPSED fill:#fff3e0
    style SEGMENT fill:#f3e5f5
    style ENGAGE fill:#f3e5f5

Donor Segments

Small Donors (Under $100)

  • Automated thank you email
  • Standard update cadence
  • Focus on sustainer conversion

Mid-Level Donors (\(100-\)499)

  • Personal phone thank you
  • Enhanced updates
  • Upgrade asks for major gifts

Major Donors ($500+)

  • Handwritten thank you note
  • Personal call from leadership
  • VIP event invitations
  • Major donor cultivation track

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Immediate Acknowledgment

Speed matters! Thank donors within: - Email: Same day (automated) - Phone call: Within 48 hours - Handwritten note: Mailed within 24 hours

2. Impact Updates

Show donors their money at work:

Donor Level Update Type Timing
Small Email newsletter 7 days
Mid-Level Personalized email 5 days
Major Phone call from director 3 days

3. Engagement Scoring

The system evaluates donor engagement based on: - Email opens and clicks - Event attendance - Volunteer activity - Social media engagement - Response to communications

4. Cultivation Paths

High Engagement → Upgrade Ask

Donors showing strong engagement receive a personalized ask to increase their giving level.

Medium Engagement → Sustainer Invitation

Invite to join monthly giving program for predictable, ongoing support.

Low Engagement → Newsletter Nurture

Keep connected through regular updates until engagement increases.

5. AI-Powered Engagement Analysis

Claude evaluates donor interactions:

"Based on this donor's engagement history (opened {open_count} emails, clicked {click_count} links, attended {event_count} events), classify their engagement level as high, medium, or low. Consider their giving history of {total_donated} over {donor_tenure}."

Timing Summary

Action Timing After Donation
Thank you Immediate - 48 hours
First impact update 3-7 days
Sustainer/upgrade ask 14-21 days
Re-engagement (if lapsed) 30 days

Key Metrics

Metric Target
Thank you within 48h 100%
Retention rate >60%
Sustainer conversion >10%
Upgrade rate >15%

Best Practices

  1. Personalize everything - Use donor name, reference their specific gift
  2. Show impact - Connect donations to tangible outcomes
  3. Ask appropriately - Don't ask again too soon after a gift
  4. Respect preferences - Honor communication channel preferences
  5. Track everything - Log all interactions for AI decision-making