Stewardship

Stewardship is a complex and contested term within civil society. It essentially refers to the relationship between an organisation and a supporter and how that relationship is managed. The term is relatively new in the UK, imported from the US, where it has been used as a by-word for ‘relationship marketing’, since the early 2000s. For some within the sector, stewardship involves guiding and pushing a supporter along a particular ‘supporter journey’, while for others it means responding to the wishes of individual supporters. The motivation for any kind of stewardship is to build a long-lasting and profitable relationship between a charity and a supporter.

 

Displaying 1 to 26 (of 26)

Martin Jervis joins Fundraising Initiatives
News

Martin Jervis joins Fundraising Initiatives

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 12 Oct 2011

Former managing director of Blackbaud Europe, Martin Jervis, has been recruited by Fundraising Initiatives’ parent company in a move which the company says will prompt a period of growth in donor relationship management.

Ed Vaizey MP
News

Every chief executive must be chief fundraiser, says MP 10

Fundraising | Becky Slack | 5 Oct 2011

Unless charities change their attitude to donors, giving will not increase, Ed Vaizey MP said yesterday.


DEC launches new website as it tries to tie in more with member brands
News

DEC launches new website as it tries to tie in more with member brands

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 29 Jul 2011

The Disasters Emergency Committee has relaunched its website, now heavy on multimedia features that feedback on how donations are spent, as the organisation's annual report shows the organisation looking to build closer ties with member charities brands.

Face-to-face attrition drops back below pre-recession levels
News

Face-to-face attrition drops back below pre-recession levels 1

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 23 Jun 2011

Donors recruited to charities by face-to-face fundraisers both on the street and on the door are sticking with their donations for longer, according to new figures.

Genevieve Edwards, executive director of communications, fundraising and health improvement, Terrence Higgins Trust
News

Terrence Higgins Trust merges fundraising and comms to “strengthen voice” 5

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 10 May 2011

Terrence Higgins Trust has combined its fundraising and communications departments in an effort to strengthen its voice and boost its fundraising capacity.

What you don't know about attrition: tipping the iceberg
Analysis

What you don't know about attrition: tipping the iceberg

Fundraising | 25 Feb 2011

Without getting involved in your charity’s direct debit payment process, fundraisers could be getting only part of the attrition picture – and potentially missing out on income. Rupert Tappin and Morag Fleming say fundraisers need to take charge of their payment processes.

Image courtesy Action Aid.
News

Emergency appeal donors not getting feedback

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 8 Feb 2011

Charities are not giving most donors to emergency appeals information about the impact of their gift, according to research released today.

Hind denounces sector's 'survival of the fittest' mindset
News

Hind denounces sector's 'survival of the fittest' mindset 2

Governance | Tania Mason | 27 Oct 2010

Charities must resist the urge to compete – for funds, donors and contracts – and focus instead on how they can share information and help each other out, former Charity Commission chief Andrew Hind said last night.

Biting the hand that feeds: Donor care doesn't end at the fundraiser
Blogs

Biting the hand that feeds: Donor care doesn't end at the fundraiser 1

Fundraising | Andrew Scadding | 11 Aug 2010

It is not only fundraisers that have to be aware of charity reputation and donor care as a call to Radio 4 showed, says Andrew Scadding.

Door-to-door attrition falls and street steady
News

Door-to-door attrition falls and street steady

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 23 Jun 2010

Charities could be facing the best year on record for doorstep-recruited donor retention and street fundraising attrition figures have remained stable according to the latest figures on face-to-face attrition.

Haiti response 'mystery shopping' findings released
Blogs

Haiti response 'mystery shopping' findings released

Fundraising | Jonathon Grapsas | 21 Jun 2010

The response of charities to expressions of support and donations to Haiti appeals was far from equal. Jonathon Grapsas begins a mystery shopping exercise.

Rapid response: Haiti appeal 'thank-yous' compared
Analysis

Rapid response: Haiti appeal 'thank-yous' compared

Fundraising | Liz Peltz | 23 Mar 2010

Both charities and donors reacted speedily to the crisis in Haiti after January’s earthquake. But not all charities managed to keep their donors onside after they gave, as Liz Peltz and her colleagues dissect the post-donation communications.

Christmas, charity – it’s all about me
Blogs

Christmas, charity – it’s all about me

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 18 Dec 2009

Christmas is always a nervous time for me. I love giving presents, but really, it’s not just about giving is it? It might be better to give than receive, but that doesn't mean receiving isn't important too.

Circles, a new angle
Analysis

Circles, a new angle

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 9 Nov 2009

Donor circles have been floating around a few US organisations for more than a decade, but can the major donor fundraising technique gain traction in the UK?

Gathering them in: Managing donor attrition
Expert advice

Gathering them in: Managing donor attrition

Fundraising | 9 Nov 2009

Advanced modeling techniques used by commercial organisations to keep customers can be readily adapted to reduce donor attrition, say Kevin Kibble and Chris Greenslade.

Southbank Centre supporter circles
Case studies

Southbank Centre supporter circles

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 5 Nov 2009

London cultural icon the Southbank Centre is one of very few UK-based organisations using the donor circle mechanism. Celinda Ribeiro reports.

Keeping fresh - a lot of supporter communication is downright dull
Blogs

Keeping fresh - a lot of supporter communication is downright dull

Fundraising | Jonathon Grapsas | 30 Oct 2009

When was the last time you took stock of every touchpoint you had with your supporters? I saw a really good blog recently about the fact that fundraising has not really changed over the past 120 years. It's true and while I am an advocate of doing things that work, I ften see lots of stuff that is downright dull. Crusty and old.

Cash rules, OK?
Opinion

Cash rules, OK?

Fundraising | Tony Elischer | 13 Jul 2009

Our European neighbours appear to be doing well with cash giving. Tony Elischer asks if we should be seeing it in a new light and give donors more options during the recession No one needs to tell you that the pressure is now on. And it’s clear that everyone has heard the message about taking more time to track things, more regularly, using as much analysis as possible to understand what is really happening. The challenge is: what do you do with the answers? And, more importantly, do you have the knowledge, the skills, the ideas and the resources to make the appropriate response?

Taking flight - Where is stewardship going?
Analysis

Taking flight - Where is stewardship going?

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 8 Jun 2009

The concept of stewardship experienced a turbulent landing in the UK, but as more charities develop their donor care strategies, Celina Ribeiro asks is it finally taking off?

Engagement in the Sector
Blogs

Engagement in the Sector 4

Fundraising | Michael Naidu | 11 Nov 2008

In the November Issue of PF, Stephen George calls for our sector’s leaders to find a common voice and the commitment to promote legacy fundraising. At a time when disposable income is declining for many, investing in (the most) long-term fundraising shows surprising foresight for the charity sector. But there is much that can be done now to protect current income streams that we take for granted.

Push for stewardship definition, but confusion over what it should be
News

Push for stewardship definition, but confusion over what it should be

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 24 Jul 2008

There is industry wide support for the development of a common definition of fundraising stewardship, according to the interim findings of a survey into the phenomenon.

Donors, not charities, are in charge of stewardship
News

Donors, not charities, are in charge of stewardship

Fundraising | Gemma Ware | 2 Jul 2008

Charities should be careful when using the term stewardship because it is the donors, not the fundraisers who are the stewards of the cause, according to a stewardship officer at the Church of England.

Confusion over 'stewardship' prompts survey
News

Confusion over 'stewardship' prompts survey

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 18 Jun 2008

Fundraisers may talk about stewardship, but whether or not they understand it is set to become the focus of a new survey hoping to help pave the way for stewardship strategies in the future.

Tony Elischer - Stewardship should not be dismissed
In-depth

Tony Elischer - Stewardship should not be dismissed

Fundraising | Tony Elischer | 7 Jan 2008

The fundraiser's responsibility for donations shouldn't stop once the money is in the bank, says Tony Elischer. .

NSPCC award agency first 'stewardship account'
News

NSPCC award agency first 'stewardship account'

Fundraising | Gemma Ware | 1 Jul 2007

NSPCC has become the first charity to award a stewardship account to an agency in an attempt to keep improving its relationship with donors

The art of saying thank you
In-depth

The art of saying thank you

Fundraising | Becky Slack | 1 May 2007

Want to get a bigger return on investment from fundraising? It's not hard - fundraisers just need to give their donors a little TLC, finds Becky Slack.

Displaying 1 to 26 (of 26)