Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Theory of Change • Donor Recognition • Constituent Management

Gift Stewardship

Term from Nonprofit Organizations industry explained for recruiters

Gift Stewardship is the process of maintaining and strengthening relationships with donors after they've made a contribution to a nonprofit organization. It's like customer service for donors - making sure they know their gifts are valued, used well, and making an impact. This role involves thanking donors, keeping them updated on how their money is being used, and ensuring they feel connected to the organization's mission. Similar terms include "donor relations" or "donor retention." Think of it as taking care of the people who take care of the organization through their donations.

Examples in Resumes

Developed and implemented Gift Stewardship program that improved donor retention by 45%

Managed Donor Relations and Gift Stewardship for major gifts over $10,000

Created personalized Gift Stewardship plans for 200+ annual donors

Typical job title: "Gift Stewardship Officers"

Also try searching for:

Donor Relations Manager Stewardship Coordinator Donor Engagement Specialist Gift Officer Development Officer Donor Stewardship Manager

Where to Find Gift Stewardship Officers

Professional Associations

Job Boards

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you design a stewardship program for a large nonprofit with diverse donor types?

Expected Answer: Should discuss creating different stewardship levels based on gift size, implementing personalized communication strategies, measuring program effectiveness, and managing a team to execute the program.

Q: How do you handle a situation where a major donor is unhappy with how their gift was used?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate crisis management skills, explain importance of transparency, discuss ways to rebuild trust, and describe processes to prevent similar situations.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What strategies do you use to maintain donor engagement throughout the year?

Expected Answer: Should mention regular updates, impact reports, personal thank you notes, donor recognition events, and maintaining consistent communication channels.

Q: How do you track and measure the success of stewardship efforts?

Expected Answer: Should discuss donor retention rates, giving patterns, donor satisfaction surveys, and using donor management software to track interactions and outcomes.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the importance of thank you letters in gift stewardship?

Expected Answer: Should explain timely acknowledgment, personalization, impact statements, and proper documentation of gifts and communications.

Q: How do you organize donor information and track communications?

Expected Answer: Should mention basic donor database usage, recording interactions, maintaining contact information, and following data privacy guidelines.