Stellar Stewardship and Recognition
Stewardship is the “careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care,” according to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. For purposes of this article, I am referring to the responsible “care” of the people who make planned gifts, rather than the gifts themselves. Planned giving donors, perhaps even more than donors of other types of gifts, expect and deserve nonmonetary benefits such as honoring the intent of the gift, paying attention to the gift process, communicating with the donor after the gift is complete, and sustaining the relationship for the long-term benefit of both the donor and the organization. Sometimes this process is referred to as donor services.