Donor Stewardship Pipeline Template
Turn donations into lasting relationships on one shared board
This template gives small nonprofit teams a simple, visual way to move donor cards from gift to gratitude to renewal. You’ll log each new gift, send a timely thank‑you, assign a steward, and plan meaningful touchpoints on a single board. Drag‑to‑duplicate the micro‑template cards, assign owners, and add due dates so nothing slips. Share impact with a file or link, then prepare a renewal or upgrade ask with confidence.
- Track every thank‑you and touchpoint
- Assign stewards and due dates
- See stages at a glance on one board
- Attach impact reports and call notes
- Standardize outreach with micro‑templates
Create a donor card
Start in the Getting Started area. Drag a copy of the Donor Profile micro‑template and fill the fields (name, last gift, campaign, interests, steward). Assign an owner for this donor and set a due date for the first touchpoint. Apply labels like First‑time donor, Major donor, or Monthly donor so you can filter later. This sets up a trackable unit of work you’ll move across the Stewardship Flow.
Send thanks within 48 hours
Move the donor into Thank You Sent once your call, email, or letter goes out. Attach the PDF or letter file to keep a record. If a board member signs the note, note it in the card description so teammates see it at a glance. Set the next due date immediately so momentum continues. Fast gratitude signals care and improves renewal odds.
Pro tip: Pin your call script as a link in the Thank‑you Call Log micro‑template description.
Assign a steward and capture context
Move the card to Steward Assigned & Welcome and record who owns the relationship. Add preferred name, interests, and source in the card description so every teammate sees the same context. If a board follow‑up is needed, apply the Board follow‑up label on the card. This keeps ownership clear and personalizes future outreach.
Plan and log touchpoints
In Touchpoints In Progress, duplicate the Touchpoint Plan card for each outreach (call, email, visit, or event). Give each card an owner and due date. Add links to event pages or resources so the steward has everything handy. Apply labels like Event invite on the card to filter and report. Check off or move each touchpoint as it happens to keep the pipeline accurate and current.
Pro tip: Use labels like Event invite to quickly filter invites from calls.
Share impact and prepare renewal
When you have results, move to Impact Shared and attach a short report, image, or story link. Then create a Renewal/Upgrade Plan card and capture target amount, case points, and ask date in the card description. Assign the follow‑up owner and set the due date, then move the card into Renewal/Upgrade Ask. This closes the loop so the next gift is timely and intentional.
What’s inside
Clear Start‑Here
Five quick bullets that tell your team exactly where to begin and what to do next.
Stewardship Flow
Six list stages from New Gift Logged to Renewal/Upgrade Ask, color‑coded for easy scanning.
Micro‑templates
Donor Profile, Thank‑you Call Log, Touchpoint Plan, Impact Story, and Renewal/Upgrade Plan — drag to duplicate.
Labels primer
Built‑in labels like First‑time donor, Major donor, Monthly donor, and more.
Filled example
A realistic example with assignees, due dates, labels, and a couple of file attachments to show best practice.
Why this works
- Enforces a timely thank‑you window
- Keeps ownership obvious for each donor
- Makes outreach cadence visible and actionable
- Connects impact sharing directly to renewal
- Standardizes notes and files for clean history
FAQ
What if we steward monthly donors differently?
Apply the Monthly donor label and keep them in the same flow. Adjust touchpoint cadence on their cards and use filters to review only monthly supporters.
Can we store letters or reports here?
Yes. Attach PDFs or link to cloud docs on the relevant card so stewards have context at hand.
How do we get donor info onto the board?
Create a card from the Donor Profile micro‑template and fill it in, or paste details into the card description. Use labels to mark First‑time, Major, or Monthly donors for quick filtering.
Who should ‘own’ a donor?
Assign one steward per donor for clarity. Use labels like Board follow‑up when someone else is briefly involved.