Creative Capital Campaign & Other Stewardship Ideas

In 2020, I lost my mother unexpectedly and needed to figure out a way to channel my grief.  That process led me to write a blog about her life, it contains a multitude of things – photos, letters, recaps of key family and friend gatherings, and much more. A few years after publishing the blog, a friend of mine recommended I turn it into a book. Initially, I did not seriously consider the idea.  However, years later I investigated the options to create a gift for my sister and I found the website www.pixxibook.com.  This unique website can turn a blog or Instagram site into a beautiful hardbound book.

Why is Stewardship Important?

The blog process has sparked my thoughts on expanding its utility as a tool for fundraising and engagement professionals. Development revolves around establishing and nurturing relationships. For fundraisers, effective relationship-building involves unique donor stewardship, which includes building meaningful relationships with trust, caring, consistency and commitment. For those not involved in fundraising, stewardship comes into play after securing a gift, aiming to inspire ongoing support.

Donor stewardship is about expressing appreciation and showcasing the impact of an individual’s contributions. While it's common to fall into routine stewardship, organizations must consistently innovate to engage donors and demonstrate gratitude, especially those making major or principal contributions.

Capital Campaign Stewardship Idea

 After receiving the books about my mom, I further explored how an organization could use this as a tool for Capital Campaign Stewardship. Here are a few thoughts…

 1.      As you embark on a capital campaign start a blog and document significant aspects of the campaign. For example,

a.      Take photos of meetings with your campaign volunteers.

b.      When you have a meeting with a donor who makes a gift, take a photo. Share their passion for the project.

c.       Keep notes you receive from donors or make copies of thank you notes sent by those who will be impacted by the campaign.

d.      Take photos of building groundbreakings, campaign events, or dedications.

e.      Scan architectural renderings and include all phases of the design.

f.        Scan publications that highlighted the various donors who have supported your campaign.

2.      Try your best to document as much as you can.

3.      Keep the blog private during the quiet phase of the capital campaign.

4.      When the campaign becomes public, make the link live on the organization’s website.  This will allow your donors or those interested in learning more, to view the progress and continue to be excited about your final goal.

5.      Assign someone the responsibility of adding content to the blog, photos, notes, letters, etc. Always receive approval in writing from each donor before adding content to the blog.

6.      Track the naming opportunities throughout the process in the blog. Consider adding biographical information about the donor.

7.      Add significant information about the donor whose name will be on the building and add it toward the end of the blog prior to the section on the building dedication.

8.      End the blog with the celebration of the building dedication.

9.      Finally, add the blog to a www.pixxibook.com or a similar software to create your Photobook. Your book will be ready within minutes. You can then customize each book cover for specific donors and give it to them as a gift after the dedication event.

10.  This concept is more than a photo book, because you are using text to tell a story not just pictures.  It is a more involved type of book that can be several pages if you want or based on length can be created into volumes.

Photobooks for Many Types of Stewardship Activities

On several occasions, I have created a photobook for individuals in my portfolio who contributed six or seven figure gifts when I worked at the University of Arizona. I collected photos and utilized www.Shutterfly.com to create a nice picture book as a token of our appreciation. It’s not as elaborate or as detailed as when you use a blog, but there are many opportunities where you can use such books. Some examples include:

• Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies

• Reunions

• Hall of Fame Inductions

Tips for Photobook Stewardship Techniques

Creating an impactful and thorough photo book is the result of successful planning and tracking of donor activity/engagement. Consider the following steps below to create a successful photo book for stewarding key donors for your organization.

Chronicle the donor’s history with your organization.

• When did he/she first get engaged with the organization?

• For universities/athletic departments, was this individual an alumnus?

• For nonprofits, was the individual or a family member involved in your organization as a young person, etc.

Create a timeline of events and when you have engaged with the donor directly.

• This should not be limited to only times when you solicited or received a donation from the donor.

Practice your active listening skills to remember important aspects of the donor’s family and life.

Make sure to capture pictures of the donor at special events.

• Ideally, your organization already has a place where you virtually store photos from every key event so you can readily access these at any time.

Be creative and have FUN!

Every relationship with a donor is unique and personal. Make sure the photo book reflects special relationships.

Today’s digital centric world has certainly made it easier for us to connect with others, but in other ways it has impacted our communication skills and ability to make genuine connections with others. In this case technology helps to enhance your relationships. Your photo book now becomes a special keepsake for your donor to share with family and friends, leave it on a coffee table at home or the office, or store it on the family bookshelf with other meaningful mementos.

Do not underestimate the ability of a tangible physical item like a photobook to make a long-lasting impact in your stewardship efforts. After all, as the famous phrase says – a picture is worth a thousand words!

To reach Chalk Consulting, please click HERE if you need assistance in stewardship efforts for your organization.

Thank you and Keep Doing Good Things!