Let me guess... your To-Do list probably has "write thank you notes" on it. And, it is probably not an item you get to check off as done because tomorrow or the next day brings more donations and more thank you notes. How do we make donor stewardship less rote?
I have a confession to make. During this year's year-end giving season, I was worried. Really worried. Praying constantly worried. It started when a client didn't receive a gift that was well cultivated, easily solicited, joyfully committed... but not given. Next, I heard from a prospective client about their disappointing year-end giving. Then, I received an email from a national donor database company that half as many donors had given by December 31, 2018 than by December 31, 2017. Digital giving reflected the same declines according to M+R. Fewer donors were giving and those that were giving were donating larger amounts, perhaps as a bundling technique because of the new tax law or perhaps another reason. This follows a larger trend. The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy Panel Study has been tracing household giving since 1968. When we look at the percentage of households who gave year over year from 2000 to 2014, we see a downward trend and we have lost over 10% of givers. Donors to religious causes has declined by over 12% in those same years. Yet, the sheer total of giving according to Giving USA has grown. Fewer donors are giving and those that are…