You might need to shake up your staff’s way of thinking.

By Betty Ann Copley Harris

Board members lack experience in giving and getting; staff members lack experience in prospect research and cultivation; the CEO or executive director doesn’t spend any time working with the top prospects; and no one has had the time to learn about planned giving.

Hire smarter … if you can
One simple solution might be to hire a major-gifts officer with planned-giving expertise and train the board to learn how to ask for major gifts. Easier said than done.