You’ve probably heard the common expression in fundraising: Ask for money, you’ll get advice. Ask for advice, you’ll get money. In other words, if you simply ask for money, you won’t get much more than advice. But if you ask for advice (and engage your donors in the process) you can raise a lot of money. Unfortunately, most … [Read more...]
Raising Major Gifts Takes Accountability: 3 Ways to Stay on Track
Major gift fundraising can be hard for a variety of reasons. One reason is that it’s intimidating to ask for money. And human nature dictates that we delay things we fear. For that reason, major gift fundraising often gets relegated to the bottom of your to do list. Unfortunately, there are no natural deadlines when it comes to raising … [Read more...]
Major Gift Readiness Assessment: 10 Questions to Ask and Answer
What would it mean to your organization if you could raise 5, 6, or even 7 figure gifts? If you’re not currently soliciting gifts in-person for specific amounts, it could be a game-changer for your organization. With just a small handful of gifts, you could raise an additional $50K, $100K or even $500K. That’s what makes major gift … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Find a Fundraising Mentor or Coach to Raise Major Gifts
Many development directors struggle to raise major gifts. If this is you, you are not alone. The best way to learn the ropes is to have a mentor or coach to show you the way. Mentors vs. Coaches for Major Gift Fundraising The most basic difference between a mentor and a coach is that a mentor is generally pro-bono, and a coach is paid. A … [Read more...]
Empowering Women Fundraisers: 9 Tips to Excel in Nonprofit Leadership
Fundraising is an amazing profession for women and men, alike. However, fundraising is not immune to the challenges that women workers face across all sectors. While women tend to dominate the field of fundraising in numbers, we still lag behind men when it comes to high-paying leadership positions in fundraising and in the nonprofit … [Read more...]
Gift Tables: The Roadmap to Successful Major Gift Fundraising
Gift Tables -- aka Gift Range Charts or Gift Pyramids -- are they key to successful major gift fundraising. That’s because they clearly demonstrate how many gifts you need at what levels to be successful. In other words, they provide a roadmap to your fundraising goal. How a Gift Table Works for Major Gift Fundraising Let’s say you want … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Stay Motivated (and Avoid Frustration) When Raising Major Gifts
Fundraising for any nonprofit organization can be challenging work, especially when it comes to raising major gifts. That’s because raising major gifts requires a healthy mix of effort, patience, and dedication to connect with donors and their passions. Unfortunately, when progress isn’t quick or obvious, raising those big gifts can be … [Read more...]
Asking for a Gift: When Does “No” Truly Mean “No”?
You're finally ready to ask a prospective donor for a gift... You've prepared. You've practiced. You've overcome your fear of asking a donor for a gift. So you make the ask, wait patiently for a response, and the person says, “No.” Your heart sinks. When a Donor Says "No" How do you know when a donor says “no” that it really … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Sabotage Your Major Gifts Program in an Instant
As a fundraiser, securing major gifts is a key aspect of your role. Major gifts can provide significant funding for your organization and can help to establish long-lasting relationships with your donors. However, it's important to remember that the process of securing a major gift is somewhat delicate. 7 Ways Fundraisers Can Sabotage … [Read more...]
Major Gift Fundraising: Reflections, Observations, and Predictions for 2023
While trying to decide what to write for my final post of the year, I looked back over some of my older posts for inspiration. I cherry-picked a collection of nuggets that I hope will be inspirational and motivational. Everyone Should Have a BHAG, Including You! I began the year with a post about creating a BHAG, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal … [Read more...]
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