Best Practices For School Fundraising Follow-Up

Campaigns get so much attention in fundraising, rightfully so. However, many of us fail to understand that rather than a curtain call, campaigns should end with a critical handoff that provides our organizations with an incredible opportunity for follow-up that inspires donors and their giving for years beyond the campaign. As soon as a campaign is complete, the window to thank donors in meaningful ways, share the first signs of impact, and ensure the new connections sparked during the campaign carry forward into the next chapter, begins to close. Across our Innovation Partners, it’s incredible how many organizations seize this exact moment with a natural handoff to a Virtual Engagement Officer. We’ve all seen participation suffer during campaigns as we focus on larger dollar giving. That’s exactly why so many Innovation Partners are bringing in Virtual Engagement Officers (VEOs) to recapture lapsed donors. Other Innovation Partners saw major momentum from their campaigns and an influx of donors. These partners are developing new portfolios for their VEOs to focus on retention, sharing impact, and building relationships in ways that lead to the natural outcome of giving. For example, Baylor University's unexpected surge in millennial giving during its recent campaign inspired a new focus for the Virtual Engagement Officer—keeping these donors engaged and building lasting connections that will shape the future major gift pipeline. Meanwhile, as Western Carolina closes its campaign, traditional frontline fundraising staff are focused on dollars in the door. Meanwhile, the VEO is actively widening the overall circle for future growth by rebuilding participation, increasing donor counts, and keeping the new donors close with stewardship and cultivation. The University of Oklahoma Foundation’s VEO is already looking ahead, organizing the new interest the campaign unlocked and aligning prospects to the right portfolios so the next chapter starts with a ready-made pipeline. Each of these teams shows us that trusted digital labor in the form of Autonomous Fundraising represents an opportunity that wasn’t available just a year ago. With Autonomous Fundraising, campaign completion is truly the handoff, not the curtain call. Virtual Engagement Officers empower us to deepen support from these new and re-engaged donors, preparing us for the inevitable next campaign before this one even closes.

We don’t lose our closest friends by calling too often. We lose them by staying silent. Fundraising works the same way. Our study of 126,822 new donors wasn’t about how many times you should ask. It was about how quickly you should follow up. And the results were clear: - Donors reengaged within 30 days gave more and stayed longer - By day 32, response rates and ROI fell sharply - Average gift declined steadily the longer organizations waited That’s speed. And speed matters. But here’s where it connects to frequency: relationships—whether personal or with donors—are built on presence. Quick follow-up after the first gift sets the tone. Ongoing, meaningful communication sustains it. Donor fatigue isn’t what breaks relationships. Silence does. So thank quickly. Show impact. And don’t be afraid to stay in touch. Because every conversation, every update, every ask is another thread that strengthens the bond. #Fundraising #DonorEngagement #DonorRetention #NonprofitLeadership #CommunityBuilding

Your major donor prospect just gave $25,000 to another organization. You met with them first but never followed up. That gift should have been yours. Three months ago, you had the perfect meeting. They were engaged. Asked great questions. Said they'd "love to stay connected." Then you got busy. Other priorities came up. You meant to follow up but never did. Meanwhile, another nonprofit sent them a handwritten note the next day. Invited them to see their programs. Shared specific impact stories. Built a relationship while you built excuses. The organizations that secure major gifts don't just have better first meetings. They have better follow-up systems. Your prospect didn't choose the other organization because of their mission. They chose them because of their attention. Pull up your prospect list right now. Count how many people you've met with in the last six months who haven't heard from you since. That's not a prospect list. That's a list of missed opportunities. The most successful major gift programs I work with treat follow-up like oxygen - essential and non-negotiable. They send thank-you notes within 24 hours of every meeting. They schedule the next touch point before leaving the current one. They share relevant updates monthly, not when they need something. They invite prospects to experience their work, not just hear about it. Your prospect didn't forget about your meeting. They forgot about you because you forgot about them. That $25,000 gift wasn't lost to better competition. It was lost to better follow-up. Stop having great meetings that lead nowhere. Start building relationships that lead to gifts. Because in fundraising, its is in the follow-up, not the first meeting.