5 Ways to Attract Mega & Major Donors in 2023
Donor Cultivation, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Major Gift Fundraising Here’s the third in my series of state-of-the-art fundraising tips for the new year: How to draw mega donors closer to your cause. There’s new thinking out there about cultivating prospective major donors. And it centers on this: How…
How to Engage Board Members in Fundraising
Board Members & Fundraising, Major Gift Fundraising, Motivating Board Members Are you trying to engage board members in fundraising? How about helping with major gift connections? Would you like your board members to open doors to their contacts? Usually everyone answers “yes” to these questions. But getting…
Report: Biggest Challenges to Major Gift Fundraising Success
Asking for Donations, Major Gift Fundraising Nonprofits clearly see the potential that major gift fundraising success might offer. Now, we have over 550 nonprofit leaders sharing their personal challenges in major gift fundraising. The floodgates have opened here, folks. Read on for hopes,…
5 Insanely Successful Ideas to Get The Appointment with a Major Gift Prospect
Donor Cultivation, Major Gift FundraisingIs it hard to get the appointment with a major gift prospect? It’s can be a scary proposition. Nerve-wracking, even. It’s really the moment of truth, isn’t? Picking up the phone to ask for a visit can be quite scary. So is writing an…
How to Get Organized to Approach Major Donors
Major Gift FundraisingSo many folks are unsure how to approach major donors. It's scary for many folks. Gosh, it was scary for me, too, when I first started out! We all have challenges when it comes to major gift fundraising - and figuring out how to approach…
Major Gift Success Only Happens With These Two Systems
Major Gift FundraisingIs everyone in your organization focusing on major gifts success? I hope you are! Because if you want to be successful, there are the two systems you must, must have. Just about every organization that achieves major gifts success uses these…
7 Tips for an Amazing Donor Cultivation Tour
Board Members & Fundraising, Donor Cultivation, Events, Major Gift Fundraising Planning a donor cultivation tour? Think twice! You don't want just any old “show and tell.” Nope. If you really want to nail this amazing cultivation opportunity, you need to be very careful about how your tour is set up and run. You…
Major Gift Success: 7 Secrets Every Fundraiser and Board Member Should Know
Board Members & Fundraising, Major Gift FundraisingYour organization is seeking major gift success, right? So let's look for the actual major gift secrets that will bring you success. Most nonprofit leaders are confused and not sure where to focus in order to create major gift success. It’s…
2 Steps to Create Loyal MAJOR Donors Who Give You More Each Year
Major Gift FundraisingWouldn’t it be wonderful if you could attract lots of generous repeat gifts from your donors? As my mentor at Duke University used to say, “The first gift is, hopefully, never the largest! Don’t you just love that optimism? What is…
Asking for a Major Gift and a Planned Gift in 4 Easy Steps
Capital Campaign, Major Gift Fundraising, Planned Giving Wow - the Ultimate Ask - a major gift and a planned gift all at one time! How to pull this off? Well, let's start with your donor. Cultivating a donor for a major gift involves many conversations with her. You talk with her…
4 Easy Ways to Get The Appointment with a Major Gift Prospect
Major Gift FundraisingDon’t you just love asking potential donors for appointments? Or do you hate it? If you dislike this step in the major gift process, you are not alone. People often tell me that trying to get an appointment can be the worst part of fundraising…
3 Key Major Gifts Fundraising Strategies for 2023
Major Gift FundraisingNo matter what the economy is doing, many donors still give big gifts. Major gifts. Transformational gifts, even. It's always possible for you to bring in serious money from your major gifts program. Major gifts fundraising strategies are changing! We're…
3 Quick Ways to Delight Your Donors for the Holidays
Annual Giving, Major Gift FundraisingThe holidays are a lovely time to send gifts and greetings to your donors. And I have a gift for YOU, my reader, this year! Here's my super Eggnog Recipe! right here! You’re probably planning to send holiday cards and/or gifts…
Your Major Gift Donors Can Take You Well Over Your Year-End Goal
Major Gift Fundraising, Year-End Fundraising Campaign Are you worried about meeting your year-end fundraising goal? Well, that's ok. I think a little worry is a good thing. It sure is motivating! Let's use our extra energy at this time of year to focus, focus, focus on the most productive…
Top 10 Tips to Catapult Your Major Gift Fundraising
Major Gift FundraisingHere's a special list of my FAVORITE ideas, tips and strategies that I've developed over 30 years in fundraising. It's some of my best wisdom. Some of these ideas are short-cuts. Some are out-of-the-box. And some are my magic keys to million…
How to Recruit a VIP Volunteer Who Will Close Major Gifts and Make Their Own Gift Too
Capital Campaign, Major Gift FundraisingVIP Volunteers are essential ingredients to many major gifts efforts and capital campaigns. We need these individuals for their networks and connections - and access to large donors that we can’t reach. But they are difficult to enlist! Here…