Good Stewardship Starts at Home

Mary Weingartner
Director of Donor Relations
University of Chicago

Since you're here reading the Hub, you clearly believe in the power of stewardship. I couldn't agree with you more. You and I have seen stewardship transform relationships, inspire increased giving, and even move donors to tears. We do the work we do because we know telling people their contributions are recognized, appreciated, and impactful can inspire them to engage more deeply with our institutions.

What if we took what we know about stewardship and applied it internally with our colleagues? We know good stewardship strengthens relationships with donors, so it stands to reason we can form stronger internal partnerships by thanking our colleagues and telling them how their work has enhanced the experience of donors, or how it has helped change the lives of those benefiting from philanthropic support.

I’ve seen great examples of internal stewardship amongst ADRP peers, and I’ve borrowed from some of the best to create a few touchpoints at my institution. However, just like donor stewardship, stewarding colleagues doesn’t have to be complicated. A sincere message of thanks that describes what a colleague has done well and how it has made a difference can be powerful, particularly when a supervisor is copied for added recognition.

The best part of internal stewardship is that it’s just as much fun as stewarding donors—sometimes more! I send one thank you message a month to a colleague, and the responses I get back are incredible and sometimes have me in tears. Here are some examples:

Wow, this was a great start to this Monday! I might have teared up a little bit...

Thank you for this beautiful message. You have made my day pretty amazing.

This message is just what I needed to feel loved and appreciated.

I hope you know that Donor Relations continue to show me how to be a better externally facing staff member and UChicago steward.

And from the supervisors included on the messages:

This is wonderful recognition. Counts for a lot!

Oh! This is wonderful!!!!  It’s so great that you recognize your peers--and I am so happy that her tireless, thoughtful work is recognized!

I’m over here doing a little dance! Thank you for acknowledging their hard work!

Sharing meaningful expressions of thanks and praise with colleagues is as worthwhile as stewarding donors. By applying what we know about stewardship to relationships with our colleagues, we have the opportunity to build a strong culture of stewardship at our institutions, strengthen relationships with our colleagues, and improve the experience of our donors.