Why Your Nonprofit May Want a Donor Insights Sheet

Sheree Cannon
Apr 8
3 min read

Updated: May 14

How tracking key donor details builds trust, deepens connection, and increases long-term giving

Sheree Cannon | Nonprofit Strategist & Consultant | Author

Introduction

Fundraising is not just about dollars—it’s about relationships. And like any relationship, the deeper your understanding of the person, the stronger your connection becomes.

That’s where a Donor Insights Sheet comes in.

More than a donor list and less than a CRM, a Donor Insights Sheet is a simple tool that helps you track key relational details about donors in a way that strengthens stewardship, increases donor satisfaction, and supports long-term giving.

This white paper explores how and why to use a Donor Insights Sheet—especially during events, campaigns, and major gift cultivation. It’s one of the simplest tools you can implement—and one of the most powerful.

What Is a Donor Insights Sheet?

It’s a concise, focused document (often a one-pager or short spreadsheet) that captures key non-financial information about your top donors or prospects.

It might include:

Full name, title, preferred contact
Giving history and frequency
Capacity and interest areas
How they first connected to the organization
Relationship owner (who manages the connection)
Notes on preferences (communication, recognition, style)
Past event attendance
Recent touchpoints (calls, thank-yous, meetings)

It’s not about profiling—it’s about personalizing. This is a living document designed to help your team care for donors well and consistently.

Why It Matters

Donors want to feel seen, valued, and remembered. When they give generously, they’re not just funding your mission—they’re investing in a relationship.

A Donor Insights Sheet helps you:

Keep donor interactions consistent (even with staff turnover)
Make high-stakes events more intentional and impactful
Avoid awkward or redundant conversations
Tailor asks, updates, and gratitude in a meaningful way
Strengthen donor trust and long-term engagement

“The goal isn’t data—it’s depth. Insight leads to intimacy, and intimacy leads to investment.”

When to Use It

Before donor dinners or private events
→ Helps leadership prepare with confidence and clarity
During campaign planning
→ Identifies top prospects and the best people to engage them
As a supplement to your CRM
→ Keeps relational highlights at your fingertips
For new board members or fundraising volunteers
→ Equips them with helpful talking points and shared language
During succession planning or staff transitions
→ Ensures continuity in key donor relationships

What It’s Not

It’s not a donor profile that invades privacy
It’s not a static list of transactions
It’s not a replacement for your CRM or database

Think of it as a relationship snapshot—useful, accessible, and grounded in respect.

How to Build One That Works

1. Focus on Your Top 20–50 Donors or Prospects

This tool is designed for depth, not breadth. Use it for those relationships that are high-value and high-touch.

2. Keep It Simple and Respectful

Only include information that is relevant, appropriate, and publicly shared or directly provided. Your goal is to honor—not monitor.

3. Update It Regularly

Schedule quarterly check-ins with your development or executive team to refresh notes, reflect on relationships, and assign next steps.

4. Share With Intention

Distribute only to those directly involved in donor engagement (e.g., ED, board chair, key development staff). Keep access limited and respectful.

Benefits Beyond Fundraising

Using a Donor Insights Sheet doesn’t just raise more money—it builds:

Organizational memory
Donor trust and loyalty
Staff and leadership confidence
A culture of stewardship, not just solicitation

It keeps your fundraising human—and that’s what donors remember most.

Conclusion: Personalization Builds Partnership

Donors don’t just give to organizations—they give to relationships. When your team shows up informed, thoughtful, and personal, donors feel it. They remember it. And they respond to it.

A Donor Insights Sheet is a small investment of time and structure that yields deep rewards—not just in dollars, but in long-term mission alignment.

Start small. Stay respectful. Build thoughtfully.