FIELD GUIDE 01 / STEWARDSHIP

Who Promised What?

Stewardship · 5 min read · September 2026

Turn an overdue donor update into a clear handoff.

“Follow up with Morgan” is hard to finish. “Check the attendance count with Ben by October 9, then update Morgan by October 11” gives someone work they can do.

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.

A WORKED EXAMPLE · FICTIONAL

The answer still needs an owner.

THE PROMISE · OCTOBER 4“September’s attendance figures by October 11.”

BEN · VERIFYCheck the distinct-student count.

Link the checked register by October 9.

AMINA · ANSWERUpdate Morgan by October 11.

Check with Ben October 9. Keep the original deadline visible.

Count still missing? Amina explains the delay by October 11 and gives the next check date.

FIG. 01.01 Ben owns the count. Amina owns the answer to Morgan.

Send the internal handoff

Internal handoff · fictional example

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

Delay email · fictional example

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

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

YOUR PROMISE HANDOFFGet the register ↗

Fill in one promise. Take the handoff and any missing decisions into your next team conversation.

Use an internal ID. Keep sensitive details in your controlled relationship record. Inputs stay on this page and disappear on reload.

What did you promise?

Source record and conversation date

Who will answer the donor?

Original donor deadline

Who will do the next action?

What do they need to deliver?

When is that result needed?

Who will check progress, and when?

If delayed, who tells the donor and when?

What will prove it is complete?

7 decisions to finish

Person preparing this handoff: Recover the exact promise and link the conversation where it was made.
Person preparing this handoff: Agree who will answer the donor, including a substitute if needed.
Person preparing this handoff: Find the original donor deadline; keep it even if the plan changes.
Person preparing this handoff: Agree who will provide the missing fact or decision, what they will deliver, and by when.
Person preparing this handoff: Set a time to check progress with the person doing the work.
Person preparing this handoff: Decide who will tell the donor if the work is delayed and when they will write.
Person preparing this handoff: Name the verified result and delivery record that will prove the promise is complete.

Your handoff — updates as you fill in the fields

INTERNAL HANDOFF — [source record and conversation date]

We promised: [exact promise]
Original deadline: [original deadline]
Person responsible for answering the donor: [one name]

[person doing the work], please take this next action:
[specific result needed]
Needed by: [action deadline]

Next check: [person and check date]
If delayed: [who updates the donor and when]

Complete when: [verified result and delivery evidence]

TAKE IT TO YOUR TEAMThe promise registerCSV · Filled example and a blank record

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.”

To see this work beside a donor record, watch Gratona’s stewardship walkthrough. It follows giving history through a saved staff task and a relationship-plan draft.

READING & SOURCES

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

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