In part 1 of this series we showed processes for moving new donors through the ask process. In this post we’ll look at renewing major donors, and how to follow up on pledges that have been made by donors, but for which payment has not yet been received.

Fig. 1: Process for moving renewing major donors through to giving (PDF)

Dealing with renewing donors always starts in the database since renewing donors have already given to the organization (Fig. 1). Starting from a list of donors who are coming up on renewal data, the process is very similar to that for new donors. It is generally shorter, however, since these donors already know something about the organization. Solicitors can be involved, and the flow generally looks like the new donor flow.

Because these people have a deep relationship with the organization (deep enough that they have given money anyway) communication with the donor should be specifically tailored to that relationship, so the process captured is very generic. In this process, some groups I have worked with always ask for names of friends and relatives who might be interested. This is a great way to expand the social network of your supporters.

We end at the same place we ended before, with a donor committing to give, or choosing not to give.

If a new or recurring donor commits to give, we record the pledge as one of the last steps in the ask process. There is often a delay between the pledge being made and the payment coming in. This next process handles follow up on open pledges.

Fig. 2: Process for following up on pledges (PDF)

The donor management staff starts with a list of all recorded pledges that are approaching or past their donation date (Fig. 2). With each pledge, the decision has to be made if follow up at this time is called for. It’s a case-by-case decision that has tons of factors influencing it.

If the pledge is followed up on, gather the response from the donor and record any changes they’ve made to their pledge (payment date, amount, etc.)

Then the organization will go back to view unpaid pledges at some point in the future that makes sense for them. Any pledges that have been paid won’t be on the list any longer–they’re no longer outstanding. This review is ongoing.

In our next installment we’ll look at processing payments that come in. We’ll start with handling checks that come in the mail, then get more complicated, with handling online gifts that are made at an external system, as well as gifts that are broken into multiple payments.