# What do fundraisers understand by 'stewardship'?

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/06/10/what-do-fundraisers-understand-039stewardship039/
- Published: 2008-06-10T06:00:32+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Fundraising agency Relationship Marketing wants to know what fundraisers think
about fundraising ‘stewardship’ and have today launched an online survey to do so.**

The survey has been devised by Gordon Michie, director of development at [Relationship Marketing](http://www.relationshipmarketing.org.uk),
and author of 2007’s white paper on fundraising stewardship, [Pretenders to the Steward Throne](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/michie-calls-code-practice-stewardship).

Michie explains that the term ‘stewardship’ can be confusing. “The problem, which
I highlighted in my white paper and which we still encounter all the time, is that
fundraisers keep talking about stewardship but no-one can really give a firm definition
of what stewardship – when applied to fundraising – actually is,” he said.

## Advertisement

“Some people talk about it as if it’s donor care, others as if it’s relationship
fundraising and others as if it’s just being nice to people. Stewardship really 
is all things to all fundraisers.

With the information from the survey Michie hopes to develop some core concepts 
and benchmarks about what fundraising stewardship ought to be.

The survey is divided into three sections: what is stewardship; what communications
methods can be used to deliver stewardship; and how can stewardship be measured?

The final section on measurement asks fundraisers to rate on a 5-point scale 13 
possible key performance indicators and key indicators of success that could be 
used to measure stewardship programmes. These include reduction in complaints, donors
thanked within specified time, non-donors begin to give, donors are more committed.

Michie said: “The results of the Relationship Marketing Stewardship Survey will 
give us a much clearer picture of what fundraisers think stewardship is, how it 
can be delivered and how it can be measured. This will provide us with a concrete
benchmark to allow us to move forward and genuinely begin developing stewardship
as a fundraising concept.”

www.surveymonkey.com/relationshipmarketing

 * **[REaD Group offers £25,000 Data Bursary](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/06/10/read-group-offers-25000-data-bursary/)**(
   10 June 2008)
 * **[Ask Without Fear!: A Simple Guide to Connecting Donors with What Matters to Them Most](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/06/11/amazon-145/)**(
   11 June 2008)
 * **[Beyond Fundraising: The Complete Guide to Congregational Stewardship](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/06/23/amazon-152/)**(
   23 June 2008)