Beyond the First Gift: Practical Strategies for Donor Retention, Growth and Stewardship
Retaining and growing donors requires more than good intentions—it requires systems, clarity, and shared ownership. Beyond the First Gift brings together fundraising leaders to unpack practical strategies for stewardship, relationship alignment, and sustaining donor programs that drive long-term impact. Join us for a morning that is sure to deepen your approach to donor retention, growth, and stewardship.
AGENDA:
9:00am-9:15am: Breakfast + Networking
9:20am: Welcome + Intro
9:30am-10:20am: Session 1
10:20-10:30am: Break
10:30am: Session 2
11:20am-11:30am: Break
11:30am-12:20pm: Panel 3
12:20-12:30pm: Closing Remarks
SESSIONS:
Session One: Designing the Donor Experience: Stewardship as a System, Not a Series of Thank-You's
Description:
Strong donor relationships are built through thoughtful, consistent engagement, not just occasional thank-you notes. This session will explore how nonprofits can design a clear and intentional donor experience that strengthens trust and long-term commitment. Participants will learn how to move from one-off gestures to a simple, coordinated approach to stewardship that keeps donors connected to the mission.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the donor experience and why stewardship should be a consistent system, not occasional outreach.
- Identify key moments in the donor journey where meaningful engagement can strengthen relationships.
- Learn practical ways to create simple, coordinated stewardship practices that support donor retention.
Panelists:
- Judy Reissmann, Director of Development at Independent Curators International
- Anjelica Garcia, Senior Director of Individual Giving, The Door
- Thomas Moore, Executive Director, American Friends of the Louvre, Moderator
Session Two: Sustainers: Successful Strategies to Acquire, Maintain Upgrade and Steward Monthly Donors
Description:
Two experienced fundraisers will share proven strategies and tactics for building and growing successful sustainer programs. From acquiring new donors and converting one-time givers into recurring supporters, to securing additional gifts and upgrading committed sustainers to higher monthly levels, they will walk through the full lifecycle of sustainer development. Drawing on their work across traditional direct mail, digital, telemarketing, and face-to-face channels, they will highlight practical insights with a strong emphasis on mapping out the donor journeys to optimize at every stage —along with the internal operations required to effectively manage and sustain a high-performing recurring giving program.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the full lifecycle of a sustainer program—from acquisition and conversion to retention and upgrades to map out a planned donor journeys.
- Learn practical, multi-channel strategies (direct mail, digital, telemarketing, and face-to-face) to grow and strengthen recurring donor support.
- Identify the internal operations, systems, and processes needed to effectively manage, track, and optimize a successful sustainer program.
Panelists:
- Aine Doddy, Director of Donor Marketing, and leads the sustainer program at Action Against Hunger.
- Sophia Palmer, Senior Manager, Annual Giving & Direct Marketing for Food Bank for NYC
- Gary Weinberg, President, DM Pros, Moderator
Session Three: Who Owns the Relationship? Aligning Staff, Boards, and Volunteers Around Donor Retention
Description:
Donor retention is a team sport—but too often, unclear roles and blurred lines between governance and execution undermine results. This panel will explore how nonprofits can align staff, board members, and volunteers around a shared approach to donor stewardship, with clear accountability and purpose. We’ll discuss practical strategies for equipping non-fundraisers to build authentic donor relationships and avoiding the common missteps that quietly drive attrition. Join us to clarify who does what—and how to work together to keep donors engaged and committed.
Learning Objectives:
- Distinguish between governance and execution roles in donor retention and define clear responsibilities for staff, board members, and volunteers.
- Identify practical approaches to training and supporting non-fundraisers to serve as confident, effective donor stewards.
- Recognize common structural and communication pitfalls that contribute to donor attrition—and implement strategies to prevent them.
Panelists:
