10 Things You Need to Know About Reactivating Lapsed Donors

By Lawrence Henze

3. Stewardship
If you know the donors most likely to be retained and the donors with greater ultimate giving potential (the first two points here), you can initiate stewardship efforts that increase the likelihood these donors will continue to give to your organization. The best lapsed-donor strategies are proactive and include positive steps to ensure that annual support does not stop in the first place. Call these donors and thank them for their gifts. Do not overwhelm them with repeated efforts to secure additional gifts. Report on the uses of gift money, and whenever possible, find out what they like about your organization and their specific interests so you can build a donor-centered relationship.