Major Donors--Handle With Care

The bottom line with all donors, especially major-gifts donors, whether they're giving $250 or $10,000, Klein says, is to be up front with them about what it is you're doing with their money and how much more you could do if you had more money, but don't treat them like they're ATMs.

"These are whole people, and they need to be treated that way. And the bigger the gift the person gives, again, relative to their capacity to give, the more attention I think they deserve and also the more you're going to get from them if you give them the slightest bit of attention," she adds.