Major Gifts from donors are a crucial component of successful fundraising efforts for nonprofit organizations. These gifts, typically larger in size, are given by individual donors or foundations who are passionate about the cause and have the financial capacity to make significant contributions. Major Gifts play a pivotal role in the sustainability and growth of nonprofits, allowing them to carry out their mission and make a substantial impact in their communities.

Find below our articles about Major Gifts best practices.

Is Your Back Office Staff Supporting or Undercutting Major Gift Fundraising?

Is everybody on your staff supporting major gift fundraising? Let me tell you a story: Back when I was a hard-working fundraiser, I had a dollar goal that was so big, it was scary. Like you probably have. My job required me to be out of…

How to Warm Up Your Donors for Big Major Gift Asks

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Donors are people just like we are. They don’t want to be surprised by a solicitation. If you have a close relationship with your donor, then you’ll want to lay careful groundwork to prepare her. And you'll want to do this well before…

Donor-Centered Moves Management: Systematic Cultivation for Your Major Gifts Prospects

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If you want to manage your major gifts fundraising program, then use a moves management cultivation system.   Moves management is a great tool for building those important relationships with top prospects over time. And we all know that…

How to Get Off the Dang Fundraising Treadmill

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I wish you could have been there. It was a chilly winter day. I was in a large back room of a big office building, meeting with the board of a top-notch local nonprofit. This savvy board had gathered with me for a fundraising retreat/workshop. I…

How to Drive Major Donors Away and Kill Off Your Major Gifts Program

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Hint: Your donor says to you, "I'm not an ATM." Have you ever had the sense that your major gift prospects are fleeing from you? Do they turn down your invitations for events, tours, even private VIP get-togethers? Do they refuse to see…

Your Major Gift Fundraising Questions – Answered!

Q: Should we include a major gift prospect in our email blasts which include asks? Yes, but you should personalize these appeals, acknowledging your prospect's relationship with your cause, if at all possible. It’s a mistake to remove…
Prospective Donor

How to Get the Most Out of a Major Gift Visit!

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You finally have the meeting with Mr. Big. What’s next? What do you do? What do you say? It can be tough to keep your eyes on the prize when you get in front of your best major donor prospects. And it's easy to get distracted and…

Our Guide to Brilliant Major Gift Cultivation Events

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Many fundraising teams are hosting major gift cultivation events often  – to open doors, make friends, cultivate potential supporters and thank your current donors. All of these gatherings are wonderful opportunities to bring people…

How to Ask Your Donors for Feedback So They’ll Love You Even More

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Have you tried asking your donors for feedback? This is a huge new trend that smart fundraisers are spearheading. Why can donor feedback be so important?   How can you send communications to donors if you don't know if they like what…

Five Ideas That Will Make Major Gift Asks Much Easier and More Successful

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We all know that fundraising comes down to one exciting, scary moment:  when you actually ask for support. This is when knees start knocking under the table, mouths get dry and suddenly words evaporate. But it doesn't have to be so awfully…
Jerry Panas

How to Secure the Major Gift: 10 Priceless Tips from Jerry Panas

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Jerry Panas is clearly one of our industry’s greats. I’ve learned so much from him over the years, and I hope you have studied his advice too. Today, I’m celebrating the fact that he’s joining us for Tuesday’s amazing Telesummit on…

Use the MPI Formula To Thank Donors and You’ll Increase Donor Retention

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Here's a smart formula to use for ALL sorts of donor communications. Send this information to donors AFTER they give. And your donors will love you for it. Try using the "MPI Fundraising Formula" for your thank yous. What's the MPI Fundraising…

How to Create a Fundraising Action Plan for Your Board

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Board members are naturally nervous about fundraising. But there are ways to calm them down and make fundraising fun for them. No kidding! Here's how: set them up to do fundraising jobs that DON'T involve soliciting. Tell them…

Your Board Members Can Become “Door Openers.” Here’s How!

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What would you MOST love your board members to do? Many nonprofit ED's tell me that  - of all possible things - they wish their board members would simply open doors. That's all. Just open doors. But what happens when you ask board members…

Major Gift Prospect Visits: Your Questions and My Ruthlessly Practical Answers

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Visits with major gift prospects can be scary. How do you handle them? What do you say? Here are my answers to all your questions from last week's webinar: Q: What if your donor hijacks the conversation and you lose control? That will certainly…

No Time for Planned Giving? Try These Quick Ideas!

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I'm as fired up as I can get about something big these days: planned giving. I know, I know -- you've heard it before. "Jump on planned giving," the consultants say. "I can't," you say back. "I don't have the bandwidth." Okay, I get that. But…