The single spreadsheet that replaced my donor sticky notes

Hi Reader,

My first job in fundraising, I didn't even realize was a fundraising job. That sounds ridiculous, but I wonder if you can relate. A new board member who wants to support your local community, a newly promoted Executive Director, even a parent at a school wanting to give their kids the best. You probably didn't realize when you signed up that you would be fundraising, and yet here you are!

For me, I was completely overwhelmed and had no idea how to track and manage everything. I had notepads, sticky notes, google sheets, google docs, even an old CRM that no one knew how to use (to this day I'm still triggered by Raisers Edge...).

So I built one spreadsheet. Just one. And it replaced every sticky note, every "I'll remember that," every scroll through old emails trying to remember what a donor said last time we talked.

Here's what I've learned a donor tracker actually needs to capture when you're running fundraising alone or with a tiny team:

Last contact date and what was said. Not just "talked to Donor" — what did they actually say? Did they mention a life change, a reason they give, a hesitation? That detail is what makes your next conversation feel personal instead of transactional.

Giving history and capacity notes. What have they given, when, and what do you know (or suspect) about what they're capable of giving? You don't need to guess every time you're deciding who to call first.

Next step and date. Every single donor should have a next action attached to them (a call, a thank-you, a visit) with a date. If a donor doesn't have a next step, they will fall through the cracks.

A simple stage or status. New, cultivating, ready to ask, stewarding, lapsed. You don't need 12 categories — you need enough to know who needs attention this week.

I built the Donor Tracking System around this framework. It's the spreadsheet I wish I'd had those first two years, but that I now use today!

Your donor relationships are too valuable to live in your inbox or your memory. Take 15 minutes this week and get them into a system. Trust me, it will save you all the time, effort, and missed money in the end!

Cheers,
Kayla