In today’s nonprofit world, the difference between financial stability and constant budget anxiety often comes down to one deceptively simple practice: donor stewardship. While many organizations focus their energy on acquiring new supporters, the real growth engine lies in keeping the ones they already have.

That’s the message fundraising consultant Katherine Lacefield, founder of Just Because Consulting, shared on a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast. With a background advising nonprofits across the globe, she’s seen the same pattern again and again: groups that cultivate deep, consistent relationships with their donors—not just during campaigns, but year-round—are the ones that thrive. And surprisingly, she says, building those relationships doesn’t require full-time effort. With the right approach, even one hour a week can make a measurable difference.