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Tips for Cultivating Individual Donors, Engaging Corporate Sponsors, and Stewardship

Updated: Mar 16, 2021



I. Individual Donors


In the world of non profits

In a time of low cash

In the realm of development

Find ways to be brash.


Some donors like waloozas and tim-tom frazpanis

Others like doozles and kalumpa grass ballies.

Still more like to walk in the rain chewing gum

Or ride bikes by the water in bright yellow sun.


Speak to each one as separately as you can devise

Send notes and nice cards – let them know they are prized.


Text video game language to kids and their moms;

Talk pets to dog lovers; to teen girls talk proms.


Try talking to men about golfing and cars –

Making each feel important will raise giving bars.


Tell donors their help is just what you need

To keep true the mission in which they believe.


Send emails, make phone calls and meet face to face

Ask patrons to come by for a tour of your place.


Ask for opinions on the things that you do.

Share special stories to engage friends anew.


Throw parties for donors and give out small gifts

These things will be helpful – no buts, ands or ifs.


Engage donors well and it will be clear

When you count pennies all at the end of the year –

That the time was spent well in spring, winter and fall;

That all donors are precious, no matter how small.



II. Corporate Sponsors, Major Gifts and Bequests


Colleagues, corporations, major donors,

Lend me your ears!

We come to partner with you, not to plunder.

The good that men (and women) do lives after them.

That good at best is meted out through generations to come.

So let it be with us; our noble visions

Ambitious together in their like quest

For the most honorable of good intention;

Branded mission to mission for generations of future knowledge,

For wealth for generations ahead.


We come humbly to honor your vision with our own;

To link hearts and minds in service to the generations ahead

By reason of tomorrow and tomorrow;

In recognition and respect for yesterdays in which your

Legacy grew sound to seed the ambition we share now.


So let it be with us; colleagues, corporations,

Major donors, foundations, friends; partners –

Ambitious to fill coffers and bequeath legacy alike.



III. Stewardship


Gracias / Grazie / Xie xie /

Danke schön / Dziękuję / Shukran / Meda wo ase

/ Mercí / Toda raba / Spaciba


(thank you!)


copyright 2010 jessica d. thorpe




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