Self Assessment: Stewardship

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Self Assessment: Stewardship

Step 1 of 2

50%

Read each of the following statements and rate your program according to the scale below. Don’t spend too much time thinking about each statement; your first instinct is usually the best one. If you’re not certain, make your best guess or go with your gut instinct.
1. Stewardship is a high priority for the annual giving program, understanding that donor retention is more profitable and sustainable than donor acquisition.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
2. There is a clear definition for annual gifts and of what distinguishes them from endowment, capital, planned, or major gifts.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
3. There are specific goals, strategies, and protocols in place to guide and support annual giving stewardship efforts.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
4. Annual giving stewardship is a coordinated effort between the annual giving and donor relations teams; staff know who is responsible for which aspects of stewarding annual fund donors.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
5. There are sufficient budgets, staffing levels, and training to support stewardship efforts.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
6. Donor retention rates are reviewed regularly and used as a key metric for guiding stewardship programs.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
7. Gift receipts and acknowledgements are generated and sent out promptly and accurately.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
8. Acknowledgments in the form of letters, email, notes, cards, phone calls, and videos are personalized with signatories/messengers who are appropriate for audience segments.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
9. Acknowledgments for special gifts (e.g., reunion, memorial, honorary, recurring, term scholarship) receive an extra level of personalization.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
10. Regular audits are conducted of programs and units to determine how and when stewardship occurs in order to better coordinate across the organization.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
11. There are systems in place to quickly respond to and/or escalate donor inquiries.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
12. Gift impact is an important theme in donor communications and is conveyed through a variety of communication channels.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
13. Students and faculty who have directly benefited from annual giving are regularly featured in advancement communications, including on the institution's website.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
14. There is at least one publication (in print and/or electronic format) dedicated to communicating gift impact to donors.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
15. Video is used to communicate gift impact and is shared through email, social channels, and other digital platforms.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
16. Gift officers, student callers, volunteers, and campus partners are capable of describing the impact of giving in their interactions with donors.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
17. There are adequate systems and reports to generate accurate donor lists as needed.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
18. Donors are recognized in key segments based on gift recency, frequency, and amount.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
19. There are special stewardship activities for first-time donors, regardless of gift size.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
20. Gift societies are used to recognize donors for leadership and loyalty with levels that raise donor sights, benefits that are perceived as valuable, includes young alumni at appropriate levels, and a brand that gives members a sense that they belong to something important.*
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree

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