This month, we're thinking about thanks... especially for those who support nonprofits in their important work. It's time to think outside the box about stewardship.
Professor, lecturer, author, and one of our DBD favorites, Brené Brown said, “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” This quote comes from her book, Rising Strong, which – among other things – is about showing up with courage.
I can’t think of a better way to describe what non-profits did in 2020 and 2021. When the world was hurting, non-profits stepped up and said, “We can help.”
The challenges were bigger than ever before and solutions needed to happen quickly, so organizations knew they had to work together for the greater good. No one had to do it alone. New partnerships formed, existing partnerships were strengthened, and communities were supported in better ways because of it.
Who did you partner with to strengthen your mission and show up with courage? Who filled in the gaps to ensure that, together, you could answer the calls for help?
The bigger question: how have you thanked them and shown them the impact of their partnership?
In this season of gratitude, consider a few ways you can steward your partners:
- Create a simple impact report that shares pictures and stats on how their partnership made a difference.
- Collect and share personal mission stories from people who have benefitted from your collective work.
- Solicit thank you notes/letters from those who have benefitted and deliver them personally to your partners.
- Include a thank you in your newsletter or constituent communication.
- Give a shout out and public acknowledgement on your website and/or social media channels regarding your partnership. Call them out by name and let your community know how the organization made a difference.
- Honor them at an upcoming event or board meeting.
- A simple handwritten note of thanks always goes a long way.
Behind every partnership and organization are people just like your donors who want to know how they made a difference. Make sure they are in your stewardship plan so they know you appreciate them. You never know how it could open up new opportunities to work together in the future.
Want more stewardship inspiration? Try one of these:
Seven Secrets of Successful Stewards
Header photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash
