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

By Betty Ann Copley Harris

Success in major gifts requires a cultural shift within the organization — moving away from transactional fundraising techniques into relationship-based philanthropy, where more value, more time and more effort are focused on attracting gifts from individuals with a considerable capacity to give.

Seek outside expertise
Not all fundraisers are cut out to be major-gifts officers, much less planned-giving officers. The skill sets are different. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a fundraiser tell me: “I need to learn about planned giving someday.”