Major Gifts

One tiny report makes a tremendous amount of difference. Because it closes the giving loop. Read these stories to see the impact.

U.S. nonprofits have received support from Russian oligarchs. In light of the war on Ukraine, should nonprofits continue receiving?

Altrata released the Billionaire Census 2022. The report reveals that total wealth surged by 17.8%.

One problem in major gifts is the lack of emotional intelligence. It’s not about the money or strategy.

At Fundraising Day in New York from AFP-NYC, the “Making the Ask and Demystifying the Process” panel delved into the art of the ask.

If you’re a good frontline fundraiser, you’re always seeking to learn how to do your craft better. Every excellent fundraiser I’ve known is constantly learning, always curious and eager to improve their skills.

The good part about an annual society or membership fee is that it is repeated, so there is donor and value retention. The bad part about it is that the donor is not asked to increase giving or give again in the same year. We have trained the donor to give your society or membership gift and you have done all that is needed this year.

There’s a funny thing about promises or commitments. They are so easy to make and, many times, so difficult to deliver. 

Your work as a fundraiser is to help donors experience the most possible joy through giving by enabling them to give to projects and programs that light them up and will help change the world. And it follows that it should be your goal to create an environment that makes this process easy and delightful for your donor.

Why is it we keep looking for some new way to do something when we know the exact steps it takes to get it done? Because the new thing feels so much better. And it looks so good and is easier. You just have to listen to it all, feel good and apply what you can. And, certainly, since it feels so good, it must work.