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 Gift Fundraising best practices.

asking conversation with donor

The Asking Conversation: How to Ask for “Permission to Ask”

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So much of fundraising comes down to the Asking Conversation, doesn’t it? It’s inevitable -- because we are simply in the business of raising money. But asking can be tough: in worst cases – it’s full of fear and trepidation. Other…

It’s OK to Bless and Release a Donor

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What do I mean by Bless and Release? It’s what you do with an incommunicative, unresponsive donor: You just let go and release them from your attention. Take this situation for example: Here you are, trying so hard to reach out…

How to Create an Inspirational Nonprofit Case Statement

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This post is by Dr. Kathryn Gamble, senior consultant with Gail Perry Associates Your case statement is the backbone of your fundraising program. Why? Your nonprofit's case statement outlines your entire fundraising rationale: why your organization…

Strengthen Your Fundraising Appeal With the “IPM” Formula

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  Here’s a very smart, efficient way to present your fundraising appeal. It forces you to be crystal clear about the three fundamental parts of any formal Ask: What impact it will make (I) What project it will fund…
strong major donor relationships are important for fundraising

Major Donor Relationship Planning: How to Tell If You Have a Close Relationship With Your Donor

Major donor relationships planning can be challenging! We find that fundraisers often don't take the time to understand their donors' interests and motivations. But don't plunge into an ask until you do your homework. Do you really know…

Major Gift Series #9: Romancing the Ask – 6 Steps To a Perfect Major Gift Ask

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Here's the last in our series of 9 topics to help you raise many generous major gifts for your cause. Fundraising always comes down to asking, doesn’t it? “The Ask” is something we study, prep for, script, dream about, love and sometimes…

Major Gifts Series #8: How to Use Moves Management To Raise Major Gifts This Year

Thanks so much for hanging with me these two weeks as I share some of my deep dark secrets about major gift fundraising. We both know that major gifts are where the big funding really is. It's the most profitable place to spend your time…

Major Gift Series #7: How to Develop Friendly, Authentic Relationships with Major Donors

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Here’s #7 in my series of major gift fundraising posts to help you build up and expand your major gift revenue. I’m sharing some of my best advice to help YOU and your team bring in the major gifts that are out there for your nonprofit. Today,…

How to Engage Board Members in Major Gift Fundraising

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There are so many ways we can engage board members in major gift fundraising. The challenge is, exactly, deciding the best ways to try to engage them. Where, within your fundraising program, can they lend their weight and help the most?   Board…

Major Gifts Series #5: How to Get Appointments With Major Donors This Year

Here's the 5th of my 9-email Major Gift Series – all designed to help you and your team sharpen your major gift fundraising skills.  Today we're tackling a challenge we all face. Huge fundraising shops to small community organizations…

Major Gifts Series #3: How To Develop Your Own Courage for Major Gift Fundraising

I hope you are enjoying this email series I'm sending to help you succeed in major gift fundraising. It’s a lot of food for thought, so take some time to digest it. Focus on major gifts, and you’ll get the largest return on your investment…

Major Gifts Series #2: How to Avoid the Top 5 Major Gift Mistakes This Year

Here’s the next in my series of tips to help you nail major gifts for your organization this year. Today, we can laugh at some of the bigger bloopers that we see in major gift fundraising. We are human, so we do sometimes make mistakes with…

Major Gifts Series #1: How to Get your Whole Organization Behind Major Gift Fundraising

Here's the first of a series of articles to help you bolster your organization's major gift success.  And I'm starting at the beginning- how to get full organizational support for major gift fundraising. All the studies…

Major Donors are Changing – 5 Trends to Watch

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What's going on these days with the most generous donors of all? How are they changing? What are their expectations of us? What do they really want? Do you ever wonder...How can I reach them? How can I appeal to their big hearts, and…

Should You Include Major Donor Prospects in Your Year-End Appeal?

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Should your year-end fundraising appeal for annual giving funding include your major donors? Many development offices are challenged by this question, and we understand. Our clients are always asking about how to handle major gift prospects…

Becoming a Power Asker: 4 Secrets to Successful Major Gift Fundraising

Today we have a guest post from one of the smartest major gift experts around: Amy Eisenstein. She's helped tons of people learn how to successfully ask for large gifts. Here's Amy's smart advice: One of the best ways to raise more money…