Show the LOVE this February
Nonprofits spend an incredible amount of time chasing new donors. We run campaigns, host events, launch appeals, refresh messaging, and try to attract new supporters. But here’s the truth most organizations don’t want to admit: Average nonprofits lose donors almost faster than they gain them.
Donors are not sitting around waiting for your next fundraising appeal. They are being contacted constantly. By other nonprofits. By political campaigns. By their alma mater. By hospitals. By animal rescues. By disaster relief organizations. By their neighbor’s kid fundraising for a school trip. Everyone is asking.
So here’s the question: Why should they keep giving to you?
The answer isn’t your mission statement. The answer is how you make them feel. And February is the perfect time to reinforce that relationship in meaningful, intentional ways. Because stewardship is not a task. Stewardship is a strategy.
The Most Overlooked Donor Statistic: The Second Gift
If you want to improve fundraising outcomes this year, focus on this one number: How many first-time donors make a second gift? Because this is where most nonprofits lose the game.
Here’s the scary reality:
The average nonprofit retention rate is only around 40 to 45%
That means more than half of donors do not give again the following year
First-time donor retention is even worse, often sitting around 20 to 25%
Let that sink in. That means most first-time donors are one and done. They gave once. They tried you out. They supported the mission. And then they disappeared. And most organizations never even notice until it’s too late.
Here’s the good news
Donors who give more than once are far more likely to stick around long-term.
Repeat donors often have retention rates closer to 65 to 70%
Monthly recurring donors can retain at rates around 77%
Many recurring donors stay engaged for 8 years or more
Translation? If you can get someone past the second gift, your odds of keeping them go way up.
That second gift is the turning point. It’s the moment a donor stops being a one-time supporter and becomes a real believer. That is why February should be your stewardship season.
Stewardship Is More Than Thank You Letters
If your stewardship plan consists of a receipt, a thank you email, and an annual report at the end of the year, you are leaving donor loyalty to chance. And donors do not stay loyal by accident. Strong stewardship is intentional, personalized, and consistent. Here’s what stewardship looks like when it’s done well.
1. Segment Your Donors for Personalized Experiences
The fastest way to level up stewardship is to stop treating every donor the same.
Your first-time donor does not need the same message as your major donor.
Your monthly donor does not want the same communication as your lapsed donor.
Start here:
First-time donors
Second-time donors
Monthly recurring donors
Mid-level donors
Major donors
Lapsed donors
When you segment donors, your stewardship becomes more meaningful, more relevant, and more effective.
2. Show Clear Impact, Not Just Gratitude
Donors want to know their gift mattered. They want proof that their support did something real.
Instead of saying:
“Thank you for your generosity.”
Try saying:
“Because of you, 35 students received tutoring this month.”
Instead of saying:
“Your support makes a difference.”
Try saying:
“Your gift helped provide emergency housing for 12 individuals last week.”
3. Use Multi-Touch Engagement Throughout the Year
Stewardship should not be one touchpoint after a donation. The best organizations create multiple moments of connection throughout the year.
Some examples include:
Quarterly impact updates
Short thank you videos from staff
Handwritten notes
Donor phone calls with no ask
Behind-the-scenes stories
Invitations to tours, mission updates, or small gatherings
Social media spotlights (with permission)
This kind of multi-touch engagement is how donors stay emotionally connected even when they are not actively giving.
4. Invite Donors Into the Mission
People stay loyal when they feel included. Some easy ways to do this include:
Asking donors for feedback
Sending a short survey
Inviting them to a tour or informal update
Offering volunteer opportunities
Asking what they want to learn about your work
Sharing future goals and letting them feel part of the journey
When donors feel like insiders, they become advocates.
The Month-to-Month Donor Stewardship Calendar (Copy and Paste This)
Want a simple strategy you can steal? Here is a full month-to-month donor stewardship plan you can copy and paste directly into your internal calendar. This is designed to help nonprofits improve retention, strengthen donor relationships, and increase second gift conversion.
February: Stewardship Season
Your goal: show love, gratitude, and immediate impact.
Send a “Because of You” impact update with photos and simple metrics
Mail handwritten thank you notes to first-time donors
Send a short thank you video from your Executive Director
Highlight one donor story or supporter quote (with permission)
Create a staff “gratitude week” where every team member thanks a donor
March: Connection and Engagement
Your goal: invite donors into the relationship.
Send a short donor survey with 2 to 3 questions
Share a staff spotlight or client story with a personal tone
Invite donors to a tour, coffee chat, or casual mission update
Send a behind-the-scenes story about how programs operate
April: Impact Proof Month
Your goal: show outcomes and results.
Share a one-page impact infographic digitally
Send one meaningful story tied to measurable outcomes
Personally thank mid-level donors (for example $250 or above)
Create a simple “spring impact update” email with bullet points
May: Community Appreciation
Your goal: make donors feel seen and valued.
Highlight donors or volunteers publicly (with permission)
Host a small donor appreciation gathering, virtual or in person
Send a gratitude email with a warm tone and no ask
Invite donors to share why they support your mission
June: Mid-Year Stewardship Check: assess what is working and tighten your process.
Send a mid-year impact report that is short and skimmable
Audit your thank you speed and acknowledgment process
Review donor retention and second gift conversion progress
Identify donors who gave once and need a re-engagement plan
July: Personal Touch Month
Your goal: deepen relationships with direct contact.
Make stewardship calls with no ask, just relationship building
Send a summer impact snapshot email with photos and short wins
Invite donors to volunteer or attend a behind-the-scenes moment
Have board members make 5 thank you calls each
August: Donor Education Month
Your goal: teach donors something and increase trust.
Send a behind-the-scenes email titled “What you don’t always see”
Host a short virtual update with Q and A
Send a program leader note or short story
Share a “myth vs reality” about your mission work
September: Year-End Warm Up
Your goal: prepare donors for year-end giving without asking yet.
Segment donors into first-time, repeat, lapsed, and major
Begin donor meetings and coffee outreach
Share a fall goals and vision update
Identify donors who are close to a second gift and prioritize them
October: Stewardship and Cultivation
Your goal: increase excitement and build momentum.
Send an impact email highlighting what is ahead
Host a mission moment like a breakfast, briefing, or tour
Re-engage lapsed donors with a simple check-in message
Share a “what’s next” preview to build anticipation
November: Gratitude First
Your goal: lead with appreciation before any major ask.
Send a Thanksgiving gratitude message with impact highlights
Personally invite donors into Giving Tuesday
Share a clear year-end goal tied to mission outcomes
Send a donor spotlight story showing generosity in action
December: Finish Strong
Your goal: end the year with excellence and speed.
Thank donors within 48 hours
Send a year-end impact wrap-up before December 31
Have board and staff make thank you calls to major and repeat donors
Send a final “you made this possible” message with specific results
Happy connecting!
