Gratavid in action: Video stewardship use cases that turn gratitude into momentum
Gratitude is one of the most powerful, and underused, tools organizations have. Not as a transaction, not as a polished marketing message, but as a genuine moment of connection.
Across sectors and organizations, teams are using Gratavid to create those moments at scale, without adding more work, more emails, or more pressure. What started as a simple thank-you tool has evolved into a flexible way to steward donors, welcome families, engage alumni, and follow up with intention.
Here’s how organizations are putting Gratavid to work, and what you can learn from their approach.
Personalized thank-yous that don’t feel transactional
Thank-you messages work best when they feel personal, not templated. Video makes it possible to scale that feeling, even when teams are small. Organizations are using Gratavid to:
- Thank first-time donors within hours of a gift
- Recognize donors at different giving levels without changing the message’s sincerity
- Acknowledge long-term supporters without making another ask
In practice, that looks like:
- A student leader thanking donors by name
- A staff member sharing appreciation tied to a specific program or outcome
- A simple, unscripted video recorded on a phone – not a studio shoot
The key isn’t perfection. It’s authenticity. Donors respond to seeing real people, real gratitude, and real impact, even when the video is short and informal.
Stewardship moments that go beyond the ask
Some of the most effective Gratavid campaigns intentionally avoid asking for anything. Instead, teams use video to:
- Celebrate consecutive years of giving
- Recognize milestone anniversaries
- Highlight impact without linking to a donation page
These moments keep organizations present in supporters’ lives without exhausting them. In many cases, they reopen conversations with donors who haven’t been actively engaged, simply by reminding them they matter.
And because Gratavid integrates with CRMs and automation rules, these touchpoints can happen consistently without manual tracking.
Non-campaign moments that keep you top of mind
Many teams use Gratavid to send completely “just because” videos, such as:
- Happy birthday messages
- Holiday or end-of-year well wishes
- Simple check-ins with no ask attached
These videos aren’t about driving an immediate action. They’re about staying present in a way that feels human. A short birthday or holiday video often lands as a pleasant surprise – something supporters didn’t expect, but remember.
Bonus: Because these messages can be automated or reused thoughtfully, they’re easy to sustain year after year without adding strain to already busy teams.
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People-led videos that show the why behind the work
When the people closest to the mission are the storytellers, the message changes. Across organizations, Gratavid videos are being recorded by students, participants, staff, volunteers, and program leaders to:
- Thank supporters for the programs and experiences they make possible
- Share energy and authenticity that written messages can’t capture
- Bring supporters closer to the real work happening on the ground
These videos don’t require scripting or retakes. A short thank-you recorded at an event often lands harder than a carefully crafted email because it feels real.
Bonus: involving people beyond the fundraising team reduces the lift for staff while strengthening the emotional connection between supporters and impact.
Northern Michigan University student-athletes take this a step further. Members of the NMU Swim & Dive team recorded personalized thank-you videos for donors while traveling to national competitions. Filmed poolside or on the road, these messages show donors exactly where their support is making an impact.
Follow-ups that actually get opened
Gratavid isn’t just for donors, because donors aren’t the only people who make up your community. Organizations use video to follow up with:
- Prospective supporters, members, or families after key touchpoints
- New participants or stakeholders as part of onboarding and welcome flows
- Extended community members who are often overlooked but deeply invested
A brief video sent shortly after an interaction says: “We noticed you. We’re glad you engaged. We care.”
These messages often prompt replies, not just thank-yous, but meaningful feedback about the experience itself. That insight helps teams understand what’s working while standing out in inboxes crowded with email.
At Norfolk Collegiate School, the admissions team sends short follow-up videos to parents the day after campus visits or shadow days. Families frequently reply with feedback and questions, giving the school valuable insight while standing out from traditional post-visit emails.
Event follow-ups that extend the experience
Events don’t have to end when the room empties, and follow ups shouldn’t just be limited to donors. Organizations are using video to:
- Thank attendees and sponsors after events
- Share energy, highlights, and impact recaps
- Re-engage supporters who couldn’t attend in person
A short post-event video can reinforce why the event mattered, create FOMO in the best way, and encourage future participation without directly asking.
This approach replaces printed follow-ups and lengthy recap emails with something faster, warmer, and more memorable.
Advocacy & community outreach with a human face
Video tools can also go beyond fundraising. Gratavid is helping organizations:
- Invite supporters to advocacy efforts
- Educate communities on issues that matter
- Mobilize attendance for virtual events and campaigns
Video brings urgency and clarity to messages that might otherwise get lost in text. When supporters hear directly from the people leading the work, they’re more likely to engage and act.
Outside of stewardship and fundraising, HappyBottoms also uses Gratavid to support advocacy and education efforts. Video invitations are sent to supporters and legislators ahead of virtual lunch-and-learn sessions, helping humanize issues and mobilize attendance around critical community needs.
What these use cases have in common
Across sectors and teams, a few themes consistently show up:
- Small teams, big impact: Video tools work especially well for lean organizations.
- Planning makes it sustainable: Clear rules and simple campaigns beat doing everything at once.
- Raw beats polished: Authentic videos outperform overproduced content.
- Consistency builds trust: Regular, thoughtful touchpoints matter more than one big moment.
- Gratitude opens doors: Many of these videos spark replies, conversations, and future engagement, without asking for anything.
Turning gratitude into a strategy
Gratavid videos aren’t about doing more. It’s about doing what already matters, thanking, welcoming, following up, in a way that feels human and scalable.
Whether you’re stewarding donors, welcoming families, engaging students, or strengthening your community, video gives your message warmth, context, and presence.
And sometimes, that’s all it takes to turn a moment of gratitude into lasting impact.
