# Who Promised What?

## Turn an overdue donor update into a clear handoff.

“Follow up with Morgan” is hard to finish. “Check the attendance count with Ben on Wednesday, then update Morgan by Friday” gives someone work they can do.

Use the record below for one promise that is waiting on another person. Start with the words the donor heard, then name the work needed to keep them.

*This example is fictional.*

### A promise someone else can pick up

| Field | Completed example |
|---|---|
| Promise as communicated | “I’ll send you September’s attendance figures by October 11.” |
| Where it was made | Amina’s October 4 call note; internal relationship record EXAMPLE-104. |
| Person responsible for answering the donor | Amina. |
| Original deadline | October 11. |
| Missing piece | The program team has not verified the count of distinct students. |
| Next action | Ben checks the register for duplicate attendance entries by October 9. |
| Next check | Amina checks with Ben on October 9. |
| If the count is still unavailable | Amina tells Morgan what is outstanding by October 11 and gives a realistic next check date. |
| Evidence of completion | Final figures linked to the source record, final email and actual send date. |

Ben owns the count. Amina owns the answer to Morgan. Waiting for Ben does not remove Amina’s responsibility to keep Morgan informed.

### Send the internal handoff

> Ben—Morgan was promised September’s attendance figures by October 11. Could you verify the number of distinct students in the register by October 9 and link the checked count here?
>
> I’ll send the donor update. If you cannot verify the figure by then, please tell me what is missing and when I should check again. I’ll update Morgan by the original deadline either way.

### If the deadline slips

> Hi Morgan,
>
> I promised your attendance update by October 11. We’re still checking the count, and I don’t want to give you a figure we may need to correct.
>
> I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll check with the program team on October 14 and write to you that day with the verified figure or the remaining issue.
>
> Amina

Choose the next date after checking what is realistic. Keep October 11 in the record; add the update and any revised agreement alongside it.

### Make your own record

- **We told the donor:** [Exact promise or accurate summary.]
- **Source and date:** [Link to the conversation or message.]
- **Answer owed by:** [Original date.]
- **Person responsible for the donor response:** [One name.]
- **Next action:** [Verb, specific result, person and date.]
- **Waiting on:** [Missing fact or decision, and who can provide it.]
- **Next check:** [Name and date.]
- **If delayed:** [Who will tell the donor, and when.]
- **Completed when:** [Result and evidence that would fulfill this promise.]

Keep sensitive notes in the controlled relationship record. A shared work list can use an internal ID and a link.

### Use the gaps to decide what to do

| What is missing? | Next action |
|---|---|
| The actual promise | Return to the conversation record. Clarify with the relationship owner before assigning a guess. |
| Someone responsible | Agree who will answer the donor. Name a substitute if that person is away. |
| A reliable figure | Assign verification to the source owner. Keep a separate donor-update date. |
| Time to complete everything | Decide what to defer. Tell anyone affected by a changed commitment. |
| Proof it was completed | Check the final version and delivery record. “Draft written” is not “update sent.” |

Start the team review with promises due or overdue. End with decisions and named actions. An item stays open because something specific remains—not simply because its status says “waiting.”

*Reading connection: Trevor and Tarren Bragdon’s **7-Figure Fundraising**, on coordinating donor experience. This record and the fictional messages are original Gratona examples.*


## Use the record in a team meeting

1. Bring promises due or overdue, with the source conversation linked.
2. Read the original commitment. Name what still prevents it being fulfilled.
3. Agree who will answer the donor and who will supply each missing fact.
4. Set the next check and the donor-response date. Keep the original date visible.
5. Compare the work with the time available. Explicitly defer work the team cannot complete.
6. Read back each person’s next action. Close work only when the agreed result and evidence are recorded.