Beginners Guide To Moves Management For Nonprofits

If you’re running a nonprofit, you know how important it is to find new supporters and keep them involved over time. Building strong, lasting relationships with your donors isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential for your organization's growth and success.

That’s where Moves Management comes into play. In this beginners' guide, we'll walk you through what Moves Management is, why it’s important, and how you can start using it to strengthen your donor relationships. 

What is Moves Management Exactly?

Moves Management is a strategy that nonprofits use to build relationships with significant donors and guide them through a series of steps. These steps lead to large donations. 

The concept was originally developed by David Dunlop at Cornell University. In short, Moves Management focuses on "moving" potential donors through different stages of engagement. 

These stages start with identifying and getting to know potential donors. Then, the strategy involves asking for donations and taking care of the relationship after a donation has been made.

How Moves Management Works?

Moves Management includes several important steps:

1.              Identification

Nonprofits find potential donors using their existing databases. They look at past donations and how much the donors have been involved before.

2.              Qualification

In this step, nonprofits figure out if these donors have the ability and desire to give. They often use tools like wealth screening to do this.

3.              Cultivation

Here, nonprofits build a relationship with the donor. They do this without asking for money right away. The goal is to make the nonprofit's goals match the donor's interests.

4.              Solicitation

This is when nonprofits ask for a donation. The request is made to match what the donor can give and what they are interested in.

5.              Stewardship

After a donation is made, this step is about keeping a good relationship with the donor. It ensures that the donor feels important and knows how their donation is making a difference.

Moves Management is not just about getting money. It's about creating real relationships. It ensures that the donor's experience is good and matches their values and interests. 

Difference Between Moves Management and Donor Cycle

The donor cycle and moves management are similar but not the same. They both focus on keeping donors interested and helping a nonprofit raise money. However they target totally different things.

Donor Cycle: It is a broad concept that explains how a nonprofit works with a donor from the first time they meet to the end. 

It includes several steps: finding donors, figuring out who might donate, getting to know them, asking for money, and keeping them happy so they keep giving. Each step helps make the relationship stronger, making sure donors feel important and want to keep supporting the nonprofit.

Moves Management: This method is all about carefully guiding big potential donors through the steps to get them to give as much as they can.

It’s more focused and planned out than the general donor cycle, and it’s used for donors who can make significant contributions. The steps in moves management are the same as those in the donor cycle, but they are done in a more detailed and personal way to help get big donations.

Both the donor cycle and moves management use similar steps because good fundraising requires a systematic approach to build and maintain donor relationships. 

In short, Moves management is a special version of the donor cycle that's designed specifically for getting large donations.

Benefits of Moves Management

• Moves management helps you build stronger bonds with your donors. You get to know what they care about, which can make them more loyal to your cause.
• By understanding your donors better, you can ask for donations in a way that matches their interests and abilities. It often leads to more and larger donations.
• Moves management organizes your approach to donor interaction. You have a clear plan for when to reach out to donors and what to say.
• This approach helps your team use their time wisely. Knowing who to talk to and when saves time and effort.
• It keeps everyone on the team informed. This way, all team members know the history and status of donor relationships. It also makes teamwork smoother.
• You can see how relationships with donors are growing. Tracking helps you adjust your strategies if needed to be more effective.

Making Moves in Fundraising

Moves management is a powerful strategy that can really change the landscape of nonprofit fundraising. 

When you understand your donors well and make smart, thoughtful moves with them, you can build stronger relationships. These relationships are key to keeping donors engaged and ready to support your cause.

So, if your nonprofit hasn't started using moves management yet, now's the time to consider it. It could be the change that takes your fundraising to the next level and helps you make an even bigger impact. 

Let's move forward together and make a difference!