Major Gifts

Any major gift officer who has been working for a few years has heard this phrase uttered by one of their donors, “Well, who else is going to fund this project? I don’t want to be the only one to invest in it...

There was a disconnect. The client was well connected to area foundations, communicated with them regularly and made annual visits. Moving beyond foundations to major individual donors—and even the organization’s own board members—were not as connected or committed...

If you have ever experienced a TED Talk, you know that every single speaker consistently presents a topic in a fascinating and engaging way. A friend of mine recently told me that he had wondered why each presentation was so good. So he researched the subject and discovered that TED Talk organizers actually have specific guidelines for each of their speakers...

Who are your highest value donors? A major gift officer would likely answer the question with a list of the top 10 donors from the past year or current top prospects. A direct marketer might quote the top RFM segments or pluck a group with the largest previous contribution...

We’ve been working with major gift officers for quite a long time. I think Richard and I, along with our associates, have seen just about every type of personality, work ethic and passion, or lack of, in the MGOs we have managed...

The idea of raising major gifts can seem elusive and mysterious. However, recent research shows that even those at small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations can raise major gifts with a few small shifts in process and mindset...

The point is that in major gifts, the successful major gifts officer (MGO) needs to identify the interests and passions of the donor, then present a program to that donor that matches those interests and passions. Done correctly, these activities eventually cause an economic transaction...

How often is “enough” for a prospective donor to see you? Often, organizations have stewardship and cultivation plans that may outline five, 10 or even more “touches” for donors...

Today, we’re going to look at a great tool for building those important relationships with top prospects over time. And we all know that is what will result in the big gift. You know how important it is to put a plan in place to build relationships, right? It’s super de-duper important if you want to secure major gifts. I’m talking about “moves management...

Making a mistake is one of the best things you can do. Did I just say that? Yes. And, I mean it. I’ve talked many times about how we all need to own up to our mistakes and that donors will appreciate it when you do. Today, I want to urge you not to be afraid to make mistakes...