What is moves management?
At its core, moves management is about the intentional steps you take to deepen a donor’s connection with your organisation. Every thank-you call, event invite, impact update, or personal message is a “move” that helps transform a first-time giver into a long-term supporter, major donor, or even a legacy pledger.
While the concept first gained traction in the U.S., the principles of moves management are well-established in Australia and New Zealand fundraising practice too. Local sector bodies like the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) include donor stewardship and pipeline strategies in their professional development programs, reinforcing that this isn’t just theory from abroad, it’s part of building sustainable giving here at home.
Why moves management matters even more in 2025
Fundraising across Australia and New Zealand has become more complex. Donors are more selective, competition for private giving is growing, and donors and boards expect transparency at a level that was rare even five years ago. Moves management provides a framework for meeting those expectations in a structured way. When done well, it helps you:
- Increase donor retention by delivering more meaningful touchpoints.
- Focus staff time on the highest-value relationships.
- Build a predictable pipeline of major gifts and bequests.
- Provide boards and donors with evidence of program impact and strategic stewardship.
Modern moves strategies for current challenges
1. Engaging younger supporters
Younger donors are mobile-first and values-driven. They may ignore generic mail or gala invites for example.
- Move:Create cause-driven digital touchpoints – this could be short-form videos, SMS reminders, or interactive online events – that match their communication style.
- Put it in play with Klevr Fundraising CRM: Segment donors by age or digital behaviour, then automate mobile-ready journeys (SMS, email, donor portal) that are timely, relevant, and personal.
2. Reducing donor communication fatigue
Too many asks can push donors away; they want meaningful updates, not constant appeals.
- Move: Swap a repeated “please donate” email for an impact update: “Your last $100 helped provide 50 meals.”
- Put it in play with Klevr Fundraising CRM: Automate campaign pacing and mix touchpoints- thank-yous, updates, and asks – so supporters feel appreciated, not bombarded.
3. Respecting donor channel preferences
Donors expect you to use their preferred contact method – ignore it, and you risk losing them.
- Move: Use preference data to decide when to call, email, or send an SMS, and adopt a multi-channel approach where it’s welcome.
- Put it in play with Klevr Fundraising CRM: Store preferences and past engagement in donor records. Apply them as tags in campaigns so outreach always happens through the right channel.
4. Providing granular impact attribution
Donors and funders increasingly ask, “Where exactly did my money go?”
- Move: Show clear breakdowns, e.g. “$250 = 80% program delivery, 15% outreach, 5% admin.”
- Put it in play with Klevr Fundraising CRM: Allocate gifts to campaigns, causes, or funding buckets. Tag admin costs automatically so every report shows precise, transparent impact.
5. Building sustainable pipelines
With tighter competition for private support, major gifts and bequests can’t be left to chance.
- Move: Map intentional milestones for each prospect: first gift → personal meeting → tailored proposal → stewardship plan.
- Put it in play with Klevr Fundraising CRM: Track upgrade and bequest prospects, use AI insights to flag next best actions, and plan donor journeys that build lasting commitment.
Bringing it together
Moves management is a strategy increasingly woven into the professional fabric of fundraising in Australia and New Zealand. Local training from the Fundraising Institute Australia and thought leadership from global providers like Bloomerang highlight its value for modern nonprofits.
The good news: with a Donor Management System like Klevr Fundraising, many of the moves that once required manual effort, segmentation, channel-specific communication, transparent reporting, even AI-assisted donor insights, can now be automated or tracked, freeing staff to focus on building relationships.
If your organisation is looking for new donor CRM tools to put moves management into practice, book a demo with Klevr Fundraising and see how we support AU/NZ not-for-profits in building stronger donor pipelines.