Home / Playbooks / Donor Cultivation Plan
Donor cultivation plan: the cycle, the steps and a 12-month calendar
A donor cultivation plan is the set of steps and touches that move a donor from a first gift to a larger one. The cycle runs identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, then starts again. Sort your portfolio into tiers and give each a cadence. Tie each month to a reason to reach out, and spend 20 minutes a week on the touches that are due.
Cultivation is the part of fundraising that happens between asks. It is the thank-you call, the site visit, the note about what their gift did, the question about why they give. Most small shops skip it because nobody owns it. Then the ask lands cold, and the donor says not this year.
A plan fixes that by making cultivation a weekly habit instead of a hope. One person with a portfolio of a hundred names, a calendar, and a list of reasons to reach out can run it. Granovetter (1973, American Journal of Sociology) argued that weaker acquaintances often carry information your close circle does not. That is why your board's and donors' networks are where new prospects come from.
On this page
Who to contact and how often
| Tier | Who | How often | Channel | What to send |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major donors and top prospects | Donors at or above your major gift level, plus qualified prospects with the capacity and the interest to give at that level. | A personal touch every month and a visit (in person or video) at least twice a year. One planned solicitation a year, in a set month. | Phone, visits, handwritten notes, personal email. | A thank-you call within days of each gift, an impact update on what they funded, and an invitation to see the work. Before the ask, a draft proposal and a note from someone their gift helped. |
| Mid-level and loyal donors | Repeat donors below the major gift level who have given several years in a row, and anyone who increased their gift last year. | A personal touch every quarter, plus the organization's regular updates, and one upgrade ask a year. | Personal email, phone call, handwritten note. | A fast thank-you for each gift, an impact story, an invitation to a small gathering or tour, and a question about why they give. |
| New and first-time donors | Anyone whose first gift arrived in the last 12 months. | A welcome series in the first 90 days (thank-you, what the gift did, how to get involved), then a touch every quarter. | Email, mail, and a thank-you call for larger first gifts. | A thank-you within 48 hours, a story that shows results, and one question about what drew them to you. Then an invitation to give a second time. |
| Lapsed donors (LYBUNT and SYBUNT) | Donors who gave last year but not this year (LYBUNT), and donors who gave some year but not this year (SYBUNT). | A personal note in the first quarter they lapse, then a touch every quarter until they renew or ask you to stop. | Phone, personal email, mail. | A no-ask hello and a short update on what changed since they last gave. Later, an ask tied to the program they used to support. |
| Prospects not yet qualified | Names from board members, event guests, volunteers, and wealth screening who have not given yet or have not been met. | A discovery call or visit within 90 days of adding the name, then move them to a tier or release them. | Phone, coffee, an introduction by a board member. | A discovery conversation about what they care about, an invitation to see the program, and one piece of content that matches their interest. |
The 12-month plan
| When | Focus | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| January | Build the portfolio | Pull last year's donors by giving level. Flag every LYBUNT. Assign tiers. Set a planned ask month for every major donor and prospect. Make thank-you calls for year-end gifts. |
| February | Thank and report | Send a year-end impact report to every donor. Call each major donor to thank them and ask what they want to see this year. Start discovery calls with three prospects. |
| March | Lapsed outreach | Send a personal note to every LYBUNT donor with a short update and no ask. Call lapsed donors who used to give at the major level. Schedule spring visits. |
| April | Visits and tours | Invite major and mid-level donors to see the program in action. Hold four to six visits. Write up notes right after each one, including what they said about why they give. |
| May | Spring solicitation | Make the planned asks for donors whose month is spring. Send lapsed donors a renewal ask tied to the program they used to fund. Thank every gift within 48 hours. |
| June | Midyear review | Sort the portfolio by last contact date and call anyone overdue. Update each major donor's next move. Decide which prospects qualified and which to release. |
| July | Light summer touches | Send handwritten notes to top donors with a photo from the program. Thank volunteers who are also donors. Book the fall visits now while calendars are open. |
| August | Prospect review | Ask board members to review your prospect list and mark who they know. Add the new names. Set discovery calls for September. |
| September | Fall cultivation | Hold the fall visits. Send an impact story to every tier. Tell major donors what the year-end campaign will fund and ask for their input. |
| October | Planned asks | Solicit major donors whose month is fall. Send upgrade asks to loyal mid-level donors. Call lapsed donors who have not responded yet. |
| November | Gratitude and the year-end appeal | Make giving season thank-you calls. Send the year-end appeal to every tier, with a personal version and a specific amount for each major donor. |
| December | Close the year | Thank every gift within 48 hours. Make a last call to LYBUNT donors. Count renewals and upgrades by tier. Draft next year's ask calendar. |
Messages to send
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See the CRM for fundraisers and nonprofits.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. Thank-you after a gift (email, after the call)
Subject: Thank you, [Name]
Why it works: A fast, specific thank-you is the first step of stewardship, and it is what makes the second gift likely.
2. Impact update with no ask (email)
Subject: What your gift did this spring
Why it works: Donors keep giving when they see what their money did, and the no-ask note earns the next ask.
3. Lapsed donor reconnect, no ask (email or text)
Subject: Thinking of you
Why it works: A no-ask note lowers the guard of a lapsed donor and opens the door to a conversation about why they stopped.
4. Invitation to a site visit (email)
Subject: Would you come see [program] with me?
Why it works: A visit is the single strongest cultivation move, and a specific date makes it easy to say yes.
5. Heads-up before a major gift ask (email)
Subject: A conversation I'd like to have with you
Why it works: Telling a major donor the ask is coming respects them and turns the meeting into a real decision.
6. Renewal ask to a lapsed donor (email)
Subject: Will you come back for [program]?
Why it works: Tying the ask to what they used to fund reminds them why they gave in the first place.
7. Discovery outreach to a board member's contact (email)
Subject: [Board Member] suggested I reach out
Why it works: A discovery call with no ask is how you qualify a prospect and learn what they would fund.
8. Note from the field (handwritten)
Why it works: A handwritten note sent the day something happened feels real in a way a newsletter cannot.
Write yours in 20 seconds
Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
The weekly routine
- Sort the portfolio by last contact date and pull the names that are due (about 3 minutes).
- Thank every gift from the past week personally, and call the larger ones.
- Send 3 to 5 cultivation touches: an impact note, a question, or an invitation.
- Call or write one lapsed donor.
- Move one prospect forward: book a discovery call, or release the name.
- Log every touch and reply, and set each donor's next move and date.
Mistakes to avoid
- Only contacting donors when it is time to ask, so every message reads as a solicitation.
- Thanking slowly or with a form letter, which is the first step toward lapsing.
- Keeping a portfolio too big to touch, so major donors get the same attention as everyone else.
- Never setting a planned ask date, so cultivation goes on forever and no solicitation happens.
- Letting LYBUNT donors sit until the year-end appeal, when a spring note would have kept them.
- Keeping donor notes in your head, so a staff change erases the relationship.
What to track
- Last contact date and next move for every name in the portfolio.
- Touches per tier each week, split into thank-you, cultivation and ask.
- Visits held with major donors and prospects.
- LYBUNT donors contacted, and how many renewed.
- Planned asks made versus planned, and the result of each.
- Prospects qualified, moved to a tier, or released.
Sending this to a whole list? Capstone Outreach remembers everyone you send it to. When it's time to check in again, the next message is already written in your voice. You approve each one, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the donor cultivation cycle?
The donor cultivation cycle is identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, repeated for each donor. You find a name and confirm they have the capacity and interest to give. Then you build the relationship, make the ask, and thank and report back. Good stewardship is the start of the next cultivation, so the cycle never fully ends.
How long does donor cultivation take before an ask?
It depends on the gift size and how well the donor already knows you. A loyal annual donor may be ready for an upgrade ask after a thank-you call and one impact update. A new major gift prospect often needs several months of visits and conversations. Set a planned ask month when you add the name so cultivation has an end.
What is the difference between cultivation and stewardship?
Cultivation happens before the ask and builds the case for giving. Stewardship happens after the gift and shows the donor what it did. In practice they use the same touches: thank-you calls, impact updates, visits, and questions about why they give. Stewardship of this year's gift is the cultivation for next year's.
How do I cultivate donors with a staff of one?
Keep the portfolio small enough to touch and work it 20 minutes a week. Put your major donors, your lapsed donors who used to give big, and a handful of prospects on one list. Add a last contact date for each. Thank every gift fast, send one no-ask touch per donor per quarter, and set a planned ask month for each name.
What should a major donor cultivation plan include?
For each major donor: what they care about, what they have funded, and who at your organization knows them. Add the planned ask amount and month, and the next move with a date. Add a visit at least twice a year, an impact update between visits, and a thank-you call for every gift. Review the plan at midyear and after each visit.
Can I text donors or add them to an email list?
Often yes, but check with your compliance contact or counsel first. Rules on fundraising texts, emails and calls vary by state. Your organization may also have its own policies on consent and opt-outs. A safe habit is to ask donors how they prefer to hear from you. Keep personal notes separate from bulk sends, and honor every stop request right away.