Major Gifts

How should we deal with arrogance in the major gifts fundraising workplace? Here are my suggestions.

If you are the head of a nonprofit, we urge you to move away from using events to raise money. If you're an MGO who continually gets "asked" to help with an event, do everything you can to convince your boss it's a bad idea. And if you are a development director of a small nonprofit, you have to realize the best way to raise major gifts is to build relationships with donors and ask them directly to support your mission.

If your answer is no to any of the following questions, it is too soon to ask for a major gift.

A campaign to encourage board giving had too many foundational principles that were violated. Here are the seven deadly sins of fundraising committed, sins you can avoid by following fundraising best practices.

One of the greatest struggles as a major-gifts officer, and for colleagues who work with major donors, is to be authentic. By being authentic, I mean being true to yourself and your motives when working with your donors.

Major-gifts fundraising isn't about "the pitch." It's not about a presentation. It is about having a meaningful conversation with prospective donors to see if they share your values, mission and vision — aspirations to make a difference.

Please be very diligent to write good job descriptions for each major-gifts officer. It is so important that these good people know what they are supposed to do and know how they will be evaluated.

Good habits are developed over time. By practice. By repetition. Build the strength of your fundraising program through good fundraising habits.

If you can keep up-to-date and make sure your records are clean and have good information, it will help you and your organization cultivate, steward and solicit your donors in the proper way.

The next time you have a free moment, jot down the various groups you belong to and think about others in the same context. If you can relate to others on their interest level or group dynamic, you will have a better understanding of the proper beginning point to a successful relationship.