Master Moves Management: A Guide for Nonprofits in 2025

Moves management transforms how nonprofits cultivate donor relationships by replacing ad-hoc outreach with strategic, personalized engagement. This systematic approach tracks each supporter's journey from prospect to major donor, ensuring every interaction moves them toward deeper involvement with your mission throughout the donor cycle. 

With average donor retention rates hovering around 50%, mastering moves management has become essential for nonprofits to build sustainable funding. In this guide, we’ll share actionable strategies to implement moves management effectively across your organization.

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Table of contents:

What is moves management?

Why is moves management important for building donor relationships

5 key stages of moves management

The role of technology in moves management

5 best practices for moves management

Final thoughts on moves management

FAQs on moves management process

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What is moves management?

Moves management is the systematic process of tracking and deepening donor relationships through planned interactions or "moves." 

These moves guide supporters through key stages - from initial awareness and first gift to recurring donations and major gifts. Each interaction aims to increase the donor's engagement, investment in your mission, and the likelihood of continued support.

The process involves:

• Mapping out clear donor journeys based on giving history and engagement level
• Planning strategic touchpoints to nurture relationships
• Tracking all interactions to understand what resonates
• Taking data-driven actions to strengthen connections
• Moving donors toward increased levels of support when ready

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Why is moves management important for building donor relationships

1. Personalizes donor engagement

Moves management transforms how nonprofits build donor relationships. Rather than sending generic appeals and hoping for the best, they create personalized journeys that deepen engagement over time. 

By tracking how donors interact with your organization - from event attendance to volunteer hours to giving patterns - you can identify what motivates their support and engage them meaningfully.

For example, if you notice a donor who supports your after-school program also engages heavily with your social media posts about career readiness, you might invite them to mentor high school students in their professional field. 

This targeted approach leverages specific donor interests to create meaningful engagement opportunities that naturally lead to increased support.

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2. Makes fundraising more effective

By focusing on the right target audience, moves management helps nonprofits allocate their resources effectively. It helps identify donors with the highest potential for impact, whether through major gifts or long-term support, reducing wasted effort and maximizing results.

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3. Supports strategic growth

Moves management helps nonprofits plan and manage both one-time and recurring donations more effectively. It focuses on building strong relationships with donors, ensuring a steady flow of support over time.

During peak giving seasons, nonprofits can use moves management to identify donors who are likely to give and connect with them for causes they care about. This makes fundraising more organized and increases the chances of long-term support.

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5 key stages of moves management

1. Identification: Finding potential donors

Moves management begins with identifying individuals or organizations that are likely to support your cause. This involves researching prospects and segmenting them based on giving capacity, interests, and past involvement with similar nonprofits.

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Use prospect research tools

Platforms like WealthEngine, DonorSearch, and iWave help nonprofits identify potential donors by analyzing financial capacity, past donations, professional affiliations, and philanthropic interests. They help nonprofits see who is likely to give and how to reach them.

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Group donors for better outreach

Once you find potential donors, group them based on past donations, interests, or where they live – to make the message a lot more relatable. For example, a nonprofit focused on animal rescue might invite people who care about pet adoption to fundraising events or volunteer programs.

Zeffy's 100% free donor management system lets you organize donor data using custom tags and smart filters. This can help your nonprofit track engagement patterns and create targeted outreach based on specific interests or giving history. 

This strategic segmentation ensures your communications resonate with each donor's unique connection to your cause.

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2. Qualification: Prioritizing the right donors

Not everyone who shows interest in your cause will become a long-term supporter. This stage helps nonprofits focus on donors who are most likely to stay engaged and contribute meaningfully. To understand the inclinations of potential donors, you should try:

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Check donor alignment

Look at past donations, volunteer participation, and online interactions to see if a donor consistently supports your mission. If someone donates regularly or attends events, they may be more likely to stay involved. Noticing gaps in engagement can also help improve outreach.

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Assess giving potential

A donor’s ability to give isn’t just measured by large one-time donations. Someone who donates smaller amounts regularly can be just as valuable as a major donor. Nonprofits can use donor databases to track giving patterns and identify those who might be willing to contribute more over time.

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Engage potential donors directly

Talking to donors can provide useful insights. Simple questions like, "What made you attend this event?" or "What impact do you want to have?" can help nonprofits understand their interests and find ways to keep them engaged.

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3. Cultivation: Building strong donor relationships

Cultivation is the process of strengthening donor relationships by keeping them engaged and informed. When donors see the impact of their support and feel connected to the cause, they are more likely to continue giving.

Regularly share updates that highlight real impact using data, testimonials, or reports. 

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4. Solicitation: Making the right ask

The donor solicitation stage focuses on turning the interested donor into a recurring donor by sharing regular updates, building trust, and establishing long-term relations.

Using the right method to ask for donations can make a big difference. Meeting in person might work best for major donors, while a personal email with strong visuals may be more effective for regular supporters. A study in the Journal of Marketing found that when donation requests align with a donor’s preferences, they are more likely to give.

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5. Stewardship: Maintaining long-term relationships

Strong stewardship transforms one-time donors into passionate, long-term supporters of your mission. The key is demonstrating consistent impact while deepening their connection to your work. Timely thank-you messages and tax receipts are just the beginning of building a relationship.

Effective stewardship fosters deeper connections with donors by demonstrating the ongoing impact of their support. 

For example, a food bank might invite major donors to help pack weekend meal bags while meeting the families they serve. An animal shelter could share monthly video updates showing rescued pets in their new homes. These experiences create emotional connections that inspire continued giving.

The most successful nonprofits make stewardship systematic yet personal. They track donor preferences, celebrate giving milestones, and create exclusive engagement opportunities for different giving levels. Most importantly, they show donors exactly how their support changes lives through compelling stories and clear impact metrics.

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The role of technology in moves management

1. Track donor engagement with specialized software

Modern donor management platforms help nonprofits deliver personalized moves management at scale. Rather than relying on spreadsheets and sticky notes, you can track every donor interaction in one central system. This gives you a complete view of each relationship - from first gift to most recent contact.

With Zeffy’s 100% free donor management system, your nonprofit can easily track donors’ progress and engage with them at scale.

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2. Simplify recurring donations

Managing recurring donors is an important part of the moves management cycle because it helps build lasting relationships and ensures steady support. Technology can make this process much easier by automating tasks like tracking donation schedules, sending reminders, and creating reports. 

For example, using a platform that works with payment systems provides a smooth experience for donors while reducing manual work for your team. This allows you to focus on connecting with donors and finding ways to grow their support over time.

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3. Use analytics to improve donor retention

Advanced data tools allow nonprofits to gather donor insights, such as donation frequency, preferred methods of giving, or event attendance. Analyzing this information reveals patterns that improve the moves management cycle. 

By identifying trends, organizations can predict which donors are likely to increase their contributions or need more engagement to remain connected.

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4. Streamline impact reporting

Technology enables nonprofits to deliver detailed reports showing donors how their contributions are being used.

For example, you can create dashboards that track campaign results or share automated updates that show the real-world outcomes of donor support. These reports help reinforce donor trust and encourage repeat donations.

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5 best practices for moves management

1. Use donor management software to track interactions

A centralized donor management system helps you manage data and monitor the progress of each donor. Track their giving history, event participation, and communication preferences to ensure tailored outreach.

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2. Segment donors for personalized engagement

Group your potential donors, current donors, and major donor prospects by shared characteristics such as giving history, demographics, etc. This allows you to target each group with specific strategies that resonate with their interests and capacities.

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3. Set clear goals for every interaction

Each step in the moves management process should have a purpose, whether it’s encouraging a donation, inviting donors to an event, or sharing an update. Clear goals ensure your efforts are intentional and effective.

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4. Celebrate milestones and loyalty

Recognize donors for their ongoing support by celebrating their donation anniversaries, birthdays, or cumulative giving achievements. Small gestures like an e-card or a public thank-you post can make a big difference in donor retention.

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5. Evaluate and refine your approach

Regularly review your moves management strategy to identify what’s working and what can be improved. Use feedback from your donors and team to adjust your efforts for better results.

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Final thoughts on moves management

Moves management is both an art and a science - combining data-driven insights with authentic relationship building. When done well, it creates a virtuous cycle: deeper engagement leads to increased giving, which enables greater impact, inspiring even stronger donor commitment to your mission.

Start by truly understanding what motivates your donors' support and consistently show them their impact. With patience and intention, these moves will transform transactional donors into true partners in your mission.

Managing these relationships effectively requires the right tools. With Zeffy'100% free donor management system, nonprofits can easily track donor engagement, streamline outreach, and focus on building lasting connections.

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FAQs on moves management process