Your Donor Visit Planning Checklist

Invite donors to visit your organization—and don’t stress!

Why We Made This. So everyone who touches a donor visit works from the same plan.

Start Here

Plan the visit from the first strategy session through the follow-up and team debrief after your guest leaves. Work through each list below.

Download the checklist

How to Use It

Share this with your planning team before your first strategy session.
Work through each list together and tick items off as they are settled.
Keep it open on visit day and run the Double-Check list that morning.

Timeline

Strategy session
Profile, briefing, outreach to key parties in schedule
Draft itinerary
Preliminary approvals
Meeting with those involved—final adjustments
Confirmation of venue, catering, meetings
Final approval
Itinerary to guest

Strategy Session

Participants

Development team/lead
ED, Prez, CEO, etc
Events team
Admin support

Key Considerations

What is the desired outcome of the visit?
Is this an element of the existing strategy for the donor?
Who is taking the lead on organizing the day?
Who needs to be involved with creating the itinerary document? Who gives final approval?
When/how does the itinerary go to the guest?
Who needs to be informed of this visit?
Who writes the talking points for various folks to cover?
Who will be with the guest during the day?
Who is the point of contact on the day, if any issues arise?

Briefing and Profile

Develop Itinerary

Program/faculty/artist/etc

Request their involvement
Confirm they are prepped (who is guest, why are they here)
Do we need to have a back-up in case of scheduling conflicts?

Pre-Visit Research

Invite spouse, kids, friends?
Is there something/someone specific they want to visit/tour?
Hotel reservation assistance?
If a meal is involved during visit, any food restrictions?

Visit Day Logistics

Directions to buildings/map
Transportation and parking
Build extra time in between meetings because everyone will run late
What mobility issues do they have (walker, wheelchair, limited stairs, etc)?
Time for guests to check phone/email/bio-breaks?
Did they receive the itinerary?

Other Things to Consider

Gift

Who decides what it is?
Who orders/supplies it?
What’s the budget?
Who pays for it?

Weather

Back-up plan for inclement weather (umbrellas on hand, indoor options)

Photography/videography/interview

Double-Check

Did guest receive itinerary?
Did important parties receive briefing on guest(s)?
Room numbers
Travel time
Possible delays (Construction? Traffic? Stops requested by the guest?)
Is there a point person for each stop during visit?
Are there any spots we need background knowledge on? (History of a building, named spaces, etc)

Post-Visit

What is the follow up after the event with the guest?
Who coordinates/writes that?
Debrief with the planning team

About the Builder

Anne Murphy

Founder · Lead Campaign Counsel · Keynote Speaker

35 years leading advancement strategy and more than $10 billion in campaigns. Co-author of the nonprofit fundraising industry's framework for responsible AI.

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Questions About Planning a Donor Site Visit

Who should be in the strategy session for a donor site visit?

Bring in the development team or lead, the ED, president or CEO, the events team, and admin support. Start with the desired outcome of the visit.

What should we double-check before a donor visits?

Confirm the guest received the itinerary and the important parties received the briefing on the guest. Check room numbers, travel time, possible delays, and a point person for each stop.

What happens after a donor site visit?

Decide the follow up with the guest and who coordinates and writes it. Then debrief with the planning team.