Franklin Forum: Nonprofit Professionals Stress Face-to-Face Contact is Key to Major Giving

The organization's direct-mail program is an important feeder system for major gifts, Deisroth said, and then those people who demonstrate interest in the organization are given more attention.

The organization conducts proactive and reactive research on prospects, and while paper research plays a role in that, Deisroth said there's nothing like human research, so she stressed the need to connect with donors face to face.