Major Gifts

It used to be that the average charity would have to simply ask and the donor would simply give, with no questions asked. All of that has changed. And this change has not dawned on many nonprofits or major gift fundraisers. This can be a major block to success for a major gift officer...

There’s no substitute for the basics, as boring and tedious as they may be. This is true with anything in life, and major gifts development is no exception. The basics are boring, but they’re fundamental to your success...

When people ask you what you do for a living, how do you talk about it? When you are finished telling the person what you do and why, are they thinking: “Wow, this person really loves their job,” or “Hmm… I’m glad I’m not doing what they are doing...

Have you ever wondered what the ideal number of people is to solicit a gift? Is a one-on-one meeting best? Perhaps you should bring two people—your president and campaign chair? Or perhaps three people would be even better—president, campaign chair and board member. Sounds reasonable, right? Get a power team to solicit a power gift! But here’s a story that will set you straight...

It is always amazing to me how smart, responsible adults can kill or at least smother a very good thing. I’m talking about the case at a southern university, which has 15 colleges and one major gift officer assigned to each college...

I once worked with a major gift officer, Janet (not her real name) who was so grounded as a person, nothing seemed to rattle her. Janet was incredibly gifted at developing relationships, staying focused and doing all the “little things” right...

My question for you is this: What is the size of your caseload? If it’s above 150, it’s way to high. So, take steps to trim it down. It may feel counterintuitive, but if you focus on fewer good donors and go deep with them your result will be much better on several levels—relationally for the donor and for you and economically for the organization...

Letting go… It’s not always easy, is it? Anyone who has had to take their child to college or end a relationship knows saying goodbye is never easy. It’s also not easy for you as a major gift officer (MGO) when a donor, who you have been stewarding and cultivating over time, no longer meets the criteria as a major donor...

The CEO sought advice from her board members and business advisors on a critical organizational decision she needed to make, got the advice then promptly ignored it and did what she wanted. This always amazes me...

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo will donate $3.5 million to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, his foundation announced. The donation will be used to lend financial assistance to families who have trouble covering the cost of their children’s cancer treatments. The hospital has also renamed a waiting room after the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Rizzo…