Donor Stewardship: Use Storytelling to Show Donor Impact
May 21, 2025
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As a journalist, I was trained to earn the reader’s attention fast. If the first few sentences don’t spark emotion, the reader will bail.
That same principle applies to donor stewardship and donor impact reports. If your donor thank-you message doesn’t help them visualize their impact, donors won’t stay engaged.
Would this message make you feel warm and fuzzy as a donor?
“Thank you for your generous donation and for helping everyone in our community live longer, healthier lives.”
It’s well-meaning and positive. But it’s too broad to land emotionally. I mean, how can a donor possibly feel a connection to "everyone"?
Show How The Donor Changes One Life
That kind of emotional donor engagement starts with one story. One life. One moment of healing.
With that in mind, let’s rework that well-meaning donor message by focusing on one person—not everyone.
“Thanks to your gift, Emily didn’t lose her hair, or her confidence, while fighting breast cancer. Your generosity provided cold cap therapy, a scalp cooling system that prevents hair loss during chemotherapy. For Emily, it meant holding onto a sense of normalcy during one of the hardest times of her life."
Donor Stewardship Tip: Keep a Tight Focus
Let’s look at how we can sharpen a few common healthcare nonprofit fundraising messages to create stronger emotional connection and support your donor stewardship strategy.
Before: Generic statement about emergency care
“Your gift helps improve emergency care across our entire hospital system.”
After: The donor becomes the hero
“Because of your generosity, Joe survived a stroke and got back on his feet. He was diagnosed within minutes using our new CT scanner, then started rehab right away. Today, he’s walking, talking, and back to reading bedtime stories to his grandkids.”
Before: Impersonal description of robotic technology
“Robot-assisted surgeries advance surgeons’ capabilities, allowing them to deliver high quality treatment to patients who previously would have had to travel out of the county for such surgical care.”
After: The donor has transformed Ronda's life
“Because of you, Ronda no longer lives in constant pain. Thanks to your support, she had access to life-changing robotic-assisted spine surgery that eased pressure on her spine. Today, she’s back in her garden, moving freely, living fully, and feeling like herself again.”
Bada bing!
It's much easier to picture Ronda happily pruning rose bushes than to imagine how "robot-assisted surgeries advance surgeons’ capabilities, allowing them to deliver high quality treatment to patients..."
(BTW: That wording is more about the surgeon than the patient or donor.)
The revised language makes donors feel proud, connected, and eager to give again.
That’s the power of relatable, donor-centric messaging. And it’s one of the most effective donor stewardship tools you can use to build long-term support and deeper investment in your mission.
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