Most capital campaigns that include 24–36 month pledge fulfillment periods experience some level of pledge attrition. Industry research commonly places long-term pledge attrition somewhere in the range of 5–15%, depending on economic conditions, leadership stability, donor engagement, communication consistency, and organizational health. In some campaigns, attrition remains relatively low because the church or nonprofit maintains strong relational connection and stewardship after the active campaign concludes. In others, pledge fulfillment slowly declines because communication fades, momentum disappears, or donors no longer feel emotionally connected to the vision they originally supported.
One of the most common mistakes organizations make is treating the campaign as “finished” once Commitment Sunday or Celebration Sunday has passed. In reality, the stewardship phase — the 24–36 month period during which pledges are actually fulfilled — is an essential part of the campaign itself.
While the stewardship phase is intentionally much slower and less active than the readiness, quiet, and public phases, it is still a critical leadership and communication season. The campaign may no longer dominate the weekly rhythm of the organization, but it should not disappear entirely from the life of the church or nonprofit.
At Discerning Partners, we believe the stewardship phase should not simply be about protecting against loss; it should also be about creating continued growth. Rather than assuming giving naturally declines after the active phases, we intentionally help organizations continue educating donors, strengthening vision alignment, and inviting additional participation over time. Many campaigns actually experience growth during the stewardship phase because donors gain greater confidence in the project, leadership trust deepens, or individuals who initially did not participate later decide to engage after seeing visible momentum and progress.
This is also the phase where additional giving modalities become especially important. During the active campaign, most gifts are often structured around standard pledge commitments. During stewardship, however, organizations can thoughtfully educate donors about other strategic and tax-wise giving opportunities such as Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from IRAs, appreciated stock gifts, legacy giving, charitable trusts, and other planned giving pathways. Many donors simply are not aware of these opportunities during the earlier phases of the campaign. Stewardship provides space for calmer, more educational conversations that can significantly increase long-term campaign fulfillment.
Another important advantage of the stewardship phase is that it often creates room for new people to enter the campaign. Some individuals are not emotionally, financially, or spiritually ready during the active phases. Others may be newer to the church, hesitant during the initial launch, or waiting to see whether the project gains traction. A healthy stewardship strategy creates opportunities for these people to become involved later without shame or pressure. In many cases, campaigns that maintain healthy stewardship rhythms actually finish stronger than they initially projected because they continue building participation and generosity over time.
At Discerning Partners, we do not view stewardship as merely maintaining momentum until the final pledge payment arrives. We view it as a slower but deeply strategic season focused on relational care, donor education, long-term generosity development, and protecting the health of the organization long after the excitement of the public phase has faded. A campaign should not peak emotionally on Commitment Sunday and then disappear. Healthy stewardship ensures the campaign continues strengthening the organization rather than quietly fading into organizational fatigue.
