Pssst … we reveal 13 of the sector’s deepest, darkest secrets to finding new major donors.

By Todd Baker

There’s a direct correlation to a donor’s first gift amount and her long-term value. So, increase the dollar levels in your donor-acquisition kits. You’ll acquire more major donors, and the lower givers will self-select out, saving
you money in cultivation.

Redefine what a successful event means for your charity. Too many organizations let wealthy people walk away after an event without capturing their contact information or without a strategy to inspire the donor to stay connected. During the event, redirect a person’s affinity from the event to the core mission of your organization. Therefore, a successful event now is one where 60 percent of the event participants acknowledge their ongoing commitment to stay connected.