Skip to Content
TS-SFD-02 Trust & Stewardship Strategic Fundraising & Development CORE Excellence v2.9.7

Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management

Evaluates whether the organization has a systematic process for acknowledging, thanking, and cultivating relationships with its donors, ensuring they feel valued and are informed about the impact of their contribution. Rooted in the Islamic principle of shukr (gratitude), this stewardship reflects the teaching that thanking people is inseparable from thanking Allah. By demonstrating ihsan (excellence) in these interactions, organizations honor the amanah (trust) of their supporters, fostering enduring partnerships built on mutual respect and shared spiritual reward.

Compliance 8
  • Data Governance: Maintain UK GDPR Art 28 Processor contracts; conduct International Transfer Assessments (IDTA); implement role-based access control and MFA.
    Technology Essential
  • Consent and preference management in CRM (record lawful basis, PECR-compliant consent for email/SMS, TPS/FPS checks).
    Technology Essential
  • Suppression lists and unsubscribe requests honored within 48 hours (Target: 100%).
    Technology Essential
  • Documented retention schedule (e.g., Gift Aid records 6 years) with deletion/anonymisation logs.
    Documentation Essential
  • ROPA and DPIAs for CRM/analytics maintained and reviewed.
    Documentation Essential
  • DSR and breach-response procedures with staff training.
    Process Essential
  • Vulnerable Supporter Operating Procedure: includes pressure indicators checklist, mandatory 'cooling-off' periods, escalation pathways, and CRM documentation.
    Process Essential
  • Restricted Funds Protocol: Pre-acceptance feasibility checks, written confirmation of restriction terms, finance coding rules, and change-control process.
    Process Essential
Basic 3
  • Donors receive regular updates on the impact of their support (e.g., annual impact report) with delivery targets (≥90% accessible).
    Process Essential
  • Personalized thank you communications
    Stakeholder Engagement High
  • A system (e.g., CRM) to track donor communications and history.
    Technology High
Good 8
  • Set and monitor SLAs: online ≤48 hours; offline ≤5 working days; major gifts (≥£1,000) – personal call within 24 hours and written within 48 hours; institutional donors – per grant agreement.
    Process Essential
  • Implement a 'Standardised Acknowledgement Checklist' per donation type containing: donor name, amount/date, designation, donor intent statement, privacy/preference links, opt-out wording, Gift Aid, and safeguarding statement.
    Process Essential
  • Maintain a documented donor stewardship journey map with RACI covering capture to reactivation.
    Process Essential
  • Board-approved Zakat Policy: Eligibility screening (9:60); admin/amil costs; surplus/shortfall rules; non-eligible donation handling; and mixed-appeal separation.
    Process Essential
  • A tiered stewardship plan for different levels of giving
    Leadership High
  • Opportunities for donors to engage beyond giving (e.g., events, volunteering)
    Stakeholder Engagement High
  • Zakat compliance statement and annual ‘Zakat utilisation report’.
    Reporting High
  • Balance recognition with sincerity (2:177); default to private recognition unless opted-in.
    Stakeholder Engagement High
Better 5
  • Conduct annual Stewardship QA and approvals: review scripts/templates against CIOF/Regulator codes; maintain ASA/CAP substantiation; call monitoring.
    Process Essential
  • Published complaints policy; log and quarterly analysis of complaint themes with corrective actions (Target: <5 complaints per 10k contacts).
    Process Essential
  • Donor preference center (channel, frequency, recognition, Ramadan/Eid greetings).
    Stakeholder Engagement High
  • Voice-of-donor loops (surveys/NPS, donor panels) informing improvements.
    Stakeholder Engagement High
  • Dignity checklist for impact storytelling to ensure images/testimonies preserve honour (49:13).
    Stakeholder Engagement High

Related Criteria

TS-SFD-01 Documented Fundraising Strategy TS-SFD-03 Grant-Writing & Institutional Funding Process TS-SFD-04 Legacy & Major Gift Program
Version
2.9.7 2025-11-05

Discussion (1)

Administrator 2026-03-07 11:07:52.927142

📋 **Version updated: 1.0.0 → 2.9.7** **Changes:** Updated islamic_references from mizan-297.json

Sign in to post a comment.

Back to Criteria