Major Gifts

The Donald J. Trump Foundation donated roughly $10.9 million to more than 400 charities between 2001 and 2014, according to a Forbes analysis on the foundation’s IRS documents. Of the $10.9 million, approximately $4 million was donated to health care causes, $1 million to children and education causes, $800,000 to arts and culture causes, $700,000…

Let me say this one final time. No discipline—no growth. Major gifts are all about staying focused on the plan and working it. This requires meeting consistently with a manager to discuss what has been done and what you will be doing to nurture relationships with your donors. Do this and you will be successful...

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, the nonprofit medical research organization launched by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife, Priscilla Chan, has selected the first wave of applicants to receive funding for their research into deadly diseases. The organization announced Wednesday an initial investment of $50 million, which will support 47 researchers from the University…

Barack Obama gave away more than $1 million while he was president of the U.S., more than half of which went to charities supporting children, according to a Forbes analysis of his tax returns from 2009 to 2015. The biggest recipient was the Fisher House Foundation, which supports families of veterans and received $392,000 from…

When you fully embrace what I am talking about, you learn to focus on relationship and conversations versus getting distracted by the “yes” and “no.” You learn to take your time and nurture things along, to really value the donor and to really listen and care.

Growing your successful individual giving program, including major gifts, is a process, often involving years of cultivation. It’s not about looking outside of your organization, but rather finding the diamonds within your own database. So, how will your organization move from here to there?...

The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation of New York, named for the world-famous pop artist and Ohio State University alumnus, announced it has established two $3 million endowments at OSU to support endowed chairs in art history and studio art. Dorothy Lichtenstein, the artist's widow, said in a statement released by OSU that, "For a number of…

I know that some major donors have given extremely large gifts over the phone, or even in a direct-mail appeal. I’m sure you have heard those stories. But, it’s rare. Donors want you to sit down with them and ask for a significant investment. If you are at a point where it’s time to challenge your donors, the only way to get over that hump is to look a donor in the eye and ask for that gift...

If you spend any time in nonprofit resource development, you will or should develop a desire to step up to major gift solicitation. Major gift fundraising is the highest level and is not easy. Many professionals are engaged in major gift fundraising, but like a pyramid, very few excel at the highest level for a long period spanning multiple organizations...

Last year, I gave you five priorities for success in 2016. I called them “Dive the Five.” This year, I’ve expanded my thinking a bit. I give you “Seven is Heaven.” I promise if you focus on these fundamental areas, you will hear the angels begin to sing and your mission will take wing. Some of these areas will seem familiar, but the way you employ them may need to be tweaked in order for you to survive and thrive...