Too many fundraisers treat stewardship like the closing chapter.

The thank-you note. The impact report. The ribbon-cutting ceremony.

But in truth, the moment after the gift is when the real relationship begins.

Emotionally intelligent fundraisers know that stewardship isn’t a formality. It’s a sacred responsibility—an opportunity to deepen connection, reinforce trust, and create lasting meaning for the donor.

If you want retention, referrals, and repeat giving…

you don’t just need a stewardship strategy.

You need a mattership strategy, stewardship with soul.

Emotional Intelligence Keeps You Out of Autopilot

Standard stewardship templates might check the box. But they rarely stir the heart.

Emotionally intelligent mattership, on the other hand, asks:

• “How does this donor want to feel before and after giving?”
• “What kind of communication builds trust with them personally?”
• “How can I affirm their values—not just their transaction?”

These aren’t soft questions. They’re the questions that lead to long-term loyalty.

According to The Fundraising Report Card, donor retention hovers between 18% (for donors giving under $100) and 38% (for major donors giving $5,000 or more). That’s a crisis—and emotional intelligence is a key part of the solution.

Meaningful Moments that Make Donors Stay

Retention isn’t driven by frequency. It’s driven by feeling.

Here are a few emotionally intelligent touches I’ve seen turn one-time gifts into multi-year relationships:

• A handwritten note referencing a donor’s late spouse—months after the gift.
• A video from a student whose life was changed—sent on the donor’s birthday.
• A phone call with no agenda except to say, “I was thinking about you today.”

These moments don’t just thank.

They affirm, connect, and inspire.

That’s how you build a relationship that MATTERS.

Stewardship Is Internal, Too

Emotionally intelligent fundraisers don’t just steward donors.

They create a mattership culture.

They help colleagues see that the work doesn’t end when the gift comes in. They lead meetings with reflection. They celebrate impact together. They remind everyone that behind every dollar is a human story—and that honoring those stories is part of everyone’s job.

That’s how mattership becomes a culture, not just a task list.

Start with Heart—and Stay in Relationship

In Start with Heart, I write that fundraisers should think of themselves as relationship architects, not just revenue drivers.

When you steward well—with emotion, intention, and empathy—you don’t just keep donors.

You deepen their identity as people who do good in the world.

And you invite them to keep doing it—with you, and through you.

That’s stewardship with soul – we call it mattership!

That’s how movements are built.

Dr. Bill Crouch is a national speaker, consultant, and founder of BrightDot. He helps nonprofit leaders navigate uncertainty with clarity, compassion, and emotionally intelligent fundraising strategies. His book, Start with Heart, offers a roadmap for thriving in both stable and uncertain times.

Related Resources:

• Lessons from a Lifetime in Fundraising: How Emotional Intelligence Fuels the Human Spirit
• The Ripple Effect: Using Emotional Intelligence to Empower Others and Multiply Impact
• Fundraising Is Not Sales: It’s Emotional Intelligence in Action
• Donor Visits That Matter: Designing Emotionally Intelligent Conversations