You may be thinking:

“We’ve got wealth screening reports and donor lists galore… but what do we do with all this data? How do we use it to find our true major gift prospects?”

Let’s be honest: this is one of the biggest pain points we hear from fundraising teams in the field.

Your CRM is probably overflowing with donor data, gift histories, engagement metrics, and wealth scores.

But turning that data into a clear roadmap for major gift fundraising? That’s the hard part.

This week we’re talking about how to find and qualify the right donors for your major gifts program — without feeling overwhelmed or stuck.

Because the truth is: there’s more opportunity sitting in your database than you think. 

Our own EVP, Dr. Kathryn Gamble, and Client Services Manager Olivia Peraino are discussing this huge issue – and offering you a roadmap/plan to move forward. 

Step One: Segment Smart — Use Donor Data to Identify Major Gift Prospects

You do have more major gift potential than you realize – and it’s sitting right there in your existing donor base.

But here’s the trick: you need a way to cut through the noise.

Here’s the strategy we recommend to all our clients who are building or expanding a major gifts program:

1. Start with strategic segmentation

Choose just one wealth indicator and one engagement indicator. That’s it.

The beauty of segmenting your list is that it becomes more manageable. You can’t deal with an overwhelming amount of data! 

Creating shorter lists (we recommend only 50 names at a time) helps you focus, reduces the feeling of overwhelm, and helps you be far more productive. 

Wealth indicator examples: (choose one for your first cut of the list!)

• Largest past gift
• Wealth screening score
• Real estate holdings

Engagement indicator examples: (choose one)

• Giving frequency
• Event attendance
• Volunteer hours
• Board service
• Personal relationship with a staff or board member

You don’t need a dozen filters. Start simple with only two indicators.

2. Sort your prospect list

Now, look for the overlap.

Who shows both capacity and connection?
Those are your high-potential donors – your best bets for major gift conversations. 

These lovely donors are highly engaged, give often and – best of all – have wealth capacity. 

3. Build your major donor portfolio with intention

These are the people who belong in your active portfolio – and who deserve thoughtful, personalized outreach.

Please remember that these donors are not just names on a list. They’re real humans with values, interests, and a desire to make an impact. 

And, it just might be fun to find out more about these people – and what they are most passionate about!

Taking a simple approach like this helps you get focused. No more second-guessing. No more drowning in data.

Step Two: Prioritize Donor Qualification — The Key to Major Gift Success

Once you’ve built your prospect pool, the real work begins.

It’s time to qualify those donors.

And let’s be real – this is where many teams get stuck. Too many portfolios are full of “suspects” – not true prospects.

Qualification is where everything starts to shift.

Don’t forget – qualification isn’t just a step in the process – it actually can become a true action plan. It’s how you move from possibility to true donor partnership.

So to begin the qualification process, ask yourself:

• Have you reached out personally – not with a mass email, but a genuine one-to-one connection?
• Have you asked open-ended questions about their interests and passions?
• Are you listening for clues about their philanthropic goals?

Remember: donors will tell you what they care about – if you ask the right questions and truly listen.
Even a quick phone call or casual coffee chat can reveal a world of insight into a donor’s intentions. 

And if a donor doesn’t respond after a few thoughtful touches?
That’s still valuable data. They may not be ready to engage right now. Put them on the back burner and then move on to someone who’s more interested in engaging. 

You’re not being pushy. Instead, you’re being proactive.

Step Three: Build Relationships –  Where Transformational Gifts Begin

There’s an important mindset shift to make. And, for some, this is a hard shift!

Here’s the real deal – to be a super successful major gift fundraiser, you are really NOT chasing money. Instead, you’re building meaningful relationships.

What that means is you are focusing on the long game. Your donor will give when THEY are ready, not because of pushing or pulling. 

The Best Major Gift Officers 

The best major gift officers are more like a bridge to the donor.  

They are helping connect a donor’s personal, private values with the mission and work of your organization.

And, that’s a beautiful, powerful role to play. (It also can be fun!)

When you approach qualification this way, it’s not about pressure. It’s about alignment.

The right donor, at the right time, will be grateful that you opened the door.

So give yourself permission to:

• Set aside the spreadsheets
• Stop over-analyzing
• And start talking to people – real live people!

Because it’s those real conversations – grounded in curiosity and respect – that lead to transformational gifts.

5 Major Gift Fundraising Takeaways to Keep You Moving

Here’s your checklist for getting focused and moving forward:

• Use one wealth and one engagement indicator to segment your list
• Create a simple, strategic pool of high-potential donors
• Make qualification your top priority – not just a “nice to do”
• Don’t get discouraged by silence  –  it’s still valuable feedback
• Always center the donor’s interests and passions, not your own pressure

Ready to Unlock Your Major Gift Potential?

Let’s make sure you’re fishing in the right pond – and having the right conversations with the right people.

Your next transformational gift might already be in your CRM – waiting for a call from you.

And if you’re ready to build confidence, sharpen your qualification strategy, and learn how to actually close those big gifts — check out our Major Gifts Officer Bootcamp. It begins in September, and people are already signing up right and left!

This is your moment. Let’s go bold. Join us this fall to master the true art of major gift fundraising!