Major Gifts

Being small is not an excuse for not having a major gift program. In fact, in many ways, Richard and I find that it’s an advantage. Being small means you know your programs deeply and, because you are working with just a small number of donors, you can really get to know them...

You can get the right person in the wrong organization, and it will be a disaster for the person. Or the wrong person can get into the right organization, and that would be a problem for the organization. The hiring criteria series addresses this latter point—getting the right person for the organization...

“I can’t seem to get my donor to relate to what we are trying to do,” explained the frustrated major gift officer. “I tell them over and over again about all the people we are helping and all the people that need help, and it just doesn’t seem to click. It’s like the donor has a glaze over her eyes!”...

I will never forget the discussion I had when I was managing a sales team for a commercial company. I had been meeting with various sales people going over their performance, and now it was time to meet with Brandon...

As a major gift officer, you may be asked to manage the donor portfolio of your manager, CEO or executive director. In order to be effective, you have to have the ability to “manage up.” Managing up means that you are working with your CEO...

A major gift job is personal and intimate, and a major gift officer is often in situations, which can get really uncomfortable if the donor wants to take it there. I’m talking about racial and bigoted comments, sexual innuendo and inappropriate behavior, aggressive statements on political or religious views and any number of other situations that a MGO often finds themselves in...

Do you know the one question to ask your major donor that, when answered, will unlock everything you want to know about that donor?...

Many major gift officers across the country, and MGOs we serve in Canada and Europe, are still treating all donors the same vs. realizing that there is a hierarchy of value that must be managed...

Are you a major gift manager? Do you love managing major gift officers? Do you love developing others and getting results through the efforts of others? When one of your major gift officers secures a large gift from a donor they have been cultivating, do you have a rush of joy for them?...

You have likely been in the situation where a current or new major gift donor reaches the $500+ cume level of giving. Either the major gift officer drops everything to handle him or her, or the donor is handed off to someone who should not be dealing with donors or the donor...