Major Gifts

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...

Recently, I took part in a LIVE call in which is part of our nonprofit leaders and managers course for major gifts. It gave me such hope because the leaders that are taking this course are doing it because they want to learn about major gifts and, even more importantly, lead their nonprofit to be supportive of the major gift team...

It’s a funny thing about obstacles in life. When they come up, our first impulse is to give up or to question the destination or even the path or strategy. That’s why I found this Zig Ziglar quote interesting and applicable to all of us dealing with major gift obstacles...

There is a school of thought in the circles of some major gift fundraisers that if you do a really good job of telling your donors you love them by sending them thank-you cards, updates about your programs and small gifts every once in a while, the donor will just give out of the kindness of their heart...

It was a pretty sad conversation. I had just hung up from a phone call with a really good major gift officer. And I had to admit I did not know what else I could have done. Here’s what happened...

OK, let’s be honest. It’s just you and me talking. No one else can hear our conversation. This is about planning for donors on your nonprofit caseload. Tell me the truth. Are you really planning what you will be doing with each donor on your caseload this next week, this next month, over the next few months?...