Keeping Major Gifts Up in a Down Economy

5. DON’T FALL VICTIM TO ANALYSIS PARALYSIS. Research is powerful, and data collection is a science. But fundraising will always be an art, as well as an exercise in building personal relationships.

6. AFTER YOU LISTEN, RECORD WHAT YOU’VE HEARD. Future fundraisers must have access to all the information gathered by prospect researchers and major-gifts officers, especially since staff turnover is rampant in the development office. “Did you do your call reports?” should be a standard question in every staff evaluation.