After a successful fundraising event, you might feel like the hard work is over. But in reality, the moments that follow are some of the most important for long-term donor development.
In fact, without strategic cultivation efforts, 70% of donors are likely to stop contributing within two years. That’s why effective event follow-up is so important—it helps you maintain momentum and effortlessly funnel supporters to the next stage in the donor journey.
You already know how critical personalization and segmentation are, so this guide will explore the strategies that really help you stand out. Once you master these best practices, you can boost your next event’s turnout and, ultimately, improve donor relationships and retention across the board.
1. Map the First 72 Hours
Effective stewardship takes months, so the process should start immediately after your event ends. The first 72 hours post-event present the best opportunity to engage guests while interest and enthusiasm are at their peak. A delay in follow-up can make attendees feel forgotten, while a prompt, thoughtful response positions your team as responsive and appreciative.
Here’s what a timely, yet respectful follow-up cadence might look like:
- Within 24 hours, send a same-day thank-you email that includes a personal salutation with the recipient's name.
- Within 48 hours, send a more personalized event recap email to maintain interest, sharing materials such as a highlight reel or a few event photos.
- Within 72 hours, send an email thanking attendees again and highlighting next steps for engagement. This might include providing feedback, perusing your event website, or signing up for the next event.
Remember to consider your audience when crafting these follow-up messages—after all, a first-time attendee with no previous engagement with your cause will respond differently to messaging than a lapsed donor who’s ready to reengage. Think about the logical next step in the donor journey and segment follow-up accordingly.
2. Use Next-Level Personalization in Messaging
Your potential donors likely sift through (or scroll past) hundreds of messages a day, so you’ll need to inspire action and authentic connection with thoughtful communications. Whether you hosted a community cookout or a classy auction, personalized messages create emotional resonance and show that your team values each individual—even those who didn’t bid or donate.
Here are some ways to take follow-up personalization to the next level:
- Reference specific conversations or shared moments. Mention something they said, asked about, or showed interest in. For example: “You mentioned your interest in youth mental health—here’s a short video from that program area.”
- Use their name and highlight how they participated. Instead of just “Hi Sarah,” say “Hi Sarah, we loved your perspective during the breakout on legacy giving.” This recognizes them as more than just a name on a list.
- Include a visual callback. Share a photo or video from the event that they’re featured in or would recognize, like a team selfie at the check-in booth.
Personalization goes beyond segmentation and event callbacks. To create a truly custom experience, honor each attendee’s communication preferences. Ask how they’d like to hear from you (e.g., email, text, or direct mail) to ensure your follow-ups reach them where they’re most likely to engage.
3. Introduce A Low-Lift Next Step
Once someone has attended an event, the next hurdle is keeping them engaged. Make that easy by offering manageable next steps. Avoid pressuring them to give immediately—instead, offer ways to stay involved that align with their engagement level, interests, and capacity.
Start with these ideas for low-pressure next steps:
- Extend simple invitations:
- Join a coffee chat with leadership
- Attend a casual tour of your nonprofit’s facility
- Watch an upcoming webinar about your cause
- Send personalized surveys:
- Ask about their favorite part of the event
- Include an open-ended field to capture ideas or comments
- Explain other ways to engage:
- Introduce your volunteer opportunities
- Explain how no donation amount is too small
- Send information about joining your monthly newsletter
- Include links to your social media profiles
A low-barrier next step keeps the momentum going without overwhelming new supporters. It lets prospects deepen involvement on their own terms and makes future asks more natural. If you start noticing bottlenecks, collect data on which invitations are falling flat and which may be applying too much pressure.
4. Empower Staff and Volunteers to Extend the Conversation
Your event team has already built rapport with guests—you shouldn’t let that connection go to waste! Empower your staff and volunteers to continue the dialogue. This expands your reach and allows prospective donors to get to know different faces in your organization.
Equip them with the tools they need to succeed, such as:
- Stewardship cheat-sheet guides that provide advocates with sample scripts, dosdo's/don'ts, and general fundraising tips.
- Customized outreach kits that reflect your branding, such as pre-written email drafts or thank-you cards.
- Post-event debrief templates where advocates can jot down key details about who they spoke with, what was discussed, and any follow-up ideas—making future outreach more personal and informed.
- Donor database tips that help advocates access and (if applicable) update donor profiles themselves with staff approval.
- Contact assignments or “stewardship buddy” pairings to ensure every high-potential attendee gets a personal follow-up from someone they met face-to-face.
When you assign outreach to multiple people, ensure they’re all on the same page. Train them in your standard outreach and stewardship processes so every donor has a consistent experience based on their engagement level. Also, save your experienced donor stewards for high-potential prospects and any tricky conversations—they should provide insight or take the reins if unexpected situations arise.
5. Track, Tweak, and Test Stewardship Approaches
Even solid stewardship efforts can improve with data-driven insights and testing. Use data and feedback to refine your approach over time. A thoughtful iteration process ensures you’re not just doing more—you’re doing better.
To create a successful improvement cycle, start by:
- Defining success metrics, like email open and click-through rates, event-to-donation conversions, and re-engagement actions (e.g., RSVPs, downloads).
- Documenting what resonates with potential donors—for instance, did video messages outperform text-heavy emails? Which follow-up offers drew the most responses?
- Running small tests, such as A/B testing subject lines or trying different CTA placements.
Your constituent relationship management (CRM) platform will be instrumental in analyzing data and enacting changes, so you’ll need to keep it clean and useful. Data hygiene standards suggest only collecting necessary data, maintaining uniform data formatting standards, and appending your data regularly.
A Springboard for Donor Acquisition
Events create emotional and memorable moments, making them the perfect springboard for donor acquisition. But their long-term impact depends on how you carry that momentum forward. When you act quickly and thoughtfully, centering the donor experience, you transform fleeting interest into lasting connection—and inspire prospective donors to take that crucial first step.