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Fundraising Year-End: Why Major Donors Must Be Your Top Priority

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As your organization approaches the end of the fundraising year, this is the moment when strategic focus truly pays off.

Your major donors may well hold the key to your team’s year-end success. 

They are your most loyal partners — people who believe deeply in your mission and trust your leadership. And right now, they offer the greatest potential to help your organization finish the year strong.

Fundraising Year-End Strategy: Focus on Leadership Donors Who Have Not Renewed 

Year-end is full of opportunity. Donors are thinking about their giving priorities, and many are ready to make one more meaningful contribution before December 31.

That’s why now is the time for teams to take a close look at the possibilities in your donor pipeline.

The major donor portfolio isn’t just a spreadsheet – it’s an opportunity map. 

When you review it with fresh eyes, it’s probably easy to see where the biggest potential lies: leadership donors who are about to lapse, and others who may be open to a year-end upgrade.

With this kind of focus, you and your team can turn insight into action – and capture the full potential of the most generous season of the year.

Major Donor Engagement: The Key to Year-End Success

At this time of year, your organization’s major donors are:

  • Already invested. They don’t need convincing. They’ve made gifts before because they trust your leadership and believe their giving makes a difference. 

At year-end, they’re thinking about their charitable priorities –  and that makes this the right moment to reach out personally.

  • Expecting to be invited. Donors who give at a higher level often anticipate being asked to participate in the year-end push. They want to help you reach your goals. 

When you approach them thoughtfully, they see it as a chance to reaffirm their commitment –  not as pressure.

  • Looking for connection and meaning. Don’t forget: these conversations aren’t just about dollars; they’re about impact and the donor’s personal values. 

Start with gratitude and thank them sincerely for what they’ve already made possible. Then, show them what’s still needed and how their renewed support could move your mission forward in a big way.

When your team shares your current progress –  perhaps even a potential shortfall –  they are offering transparency and an invitation.  It’s not just asking for help. 

You’re inviting them to step back into leadership, to be part of closing the year on a high note. A simple, confident invitation can make all the difference:

“Would you consider renewing your leadership gift now to help us finish the year strong?”

Who Belongs on Your Year-End Call List

Once you’ve identified your key major donors, it’s time to get strategic about where to focus your energy. Not every donor needs to be part of personalized year-end outreach. 

The goal is to prioritize the individuals who can make the biggest difference right now.

Here’s where to start:

  • Major donors who gave last year but haven’t yet given this year (LYBUNTs).
    This is absolutely your top list. These donorsare some of your most promising prospects. 

Don’t let them slip away!  They just need a thoughtful reminder and a clear opportunity to renew. A warm, personal touch can easily bring them back into the fold before year-end.

  • High-capacity donors with strong interest.
    These are the individuals who have both the means and the motivation to make a difference. 

If you’ve been cultivating a relationship throughout the year, now’s the perfect time to check in, share an update, and invite them to help you finish strong.

  • Your top 10–15 leadership donors.
    A small group of major investors often drives a significant share of results. Strategic conversations at this level can produce six- and seven-figure gifts that change your year-end outcome. These key supporters are the ones who can truly move the needle. 

Key takeaway: Remember, year-end fundraising isn’t about calling everyone. 

It’s about calling the right people – the ones who are already leaning in, already invested, and ready to help you reach your year-end goal with momentum.

Donor Stewardship at Fiscal Year-End

Not every donor will say yes – and that’s ok. part of smart year-end fundraising. What matters most is the connection you create.

Each call or message is a chance to strengthen a relationship. Even when a donor doesn’t give this time, they remember your gratitude and sincerity. That kind of care builds trust – and often leads to future generosity.

Good stewardship now sets the stage for next year’s success. It reminds your supporters that they’re partners in your mission, not just transactions at the end of your fiscal year.

Not every donor will say yes – and that’s ok. part of smart year-end fundraising. What matters most is the connection you create.

Each call or message is a chance to strengthen a relationship. Even when a donor doesn’t give this time, they remember your gratitude and sincerity. That kind of care builds trust – and often leads to future generosity.

Good stewardship now sets the stage for next year’s success. It reminds your supporters that they’re partners in your mission, not just transactions at the end of your fiscal year.

Year-End Fundraising Strategy Checklist

As the year wraps up, this is your moment to focus on the donors who can make the biggest difference – especially your major donors whose annual gifts are about to lapse.

  • Start with your loyal major donors. Look for those who gave last year but haven’t yet renewed. These donors already believe in your work. A personal call now can easily bring them back on board before December 31.
  • Spot donors at risk of lapsing. Don’t assume silence means disinterest. Many donors simply haven’t gotten around to giving. A warm reminder – especially from someone they know – can prompt an immediate response.
  • Prioritize by capacity and connection. Focus on donors who have both the means and the motivation to step up again this year.
  • Assign clear relationship owners. Make sure every key donor has a staff or volunteer partner responsible for follow-up.
  • Reach out personally to your leadership donors. A short conversation or visit before year-end can unlock transformative gifts.
  • Track progress daily. Share updates with your board and leadership team so everyone stays aligned on the goal.
  • Say thank you quickly. Every personal acknowledgment strengthens the relationship and sets you up for success in the new year.

This is the moment when personal outreach can yield real results. A handful of timely, heartfelt conversations with your best donors can close the gap – and set the tone for a strong start next year.

The Bottom Line for Year-End Fundraising Strategies

Year-end is when focus really pays off. The biggest opportunity right now is your loyal donors – especially those who gave last year but haven’t yet renewed.

These supporters already believe in your mission. They’re familiar with your impact. And they often just need a personal nudge to make their annual gift before December 31.

This is not about pressure. It’s about connection. A simple, heartfelt call can remind them why they care – and why their continued support matters right now.

When you combine smart portfolio management with genuine gratitude, you create the right mix of urgency and warmth. You’ll close more renewals, re-engage your best donors, and finish your year with strong results and renewed energy.

So pick up the phone. Thank your donors. Invite them to be part of your year-end success story.

You’ll strengthen relationships now – and build momentum that carries well into the new year.

What Mega Donors are Saying about Giving in Today’s Economy

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As capital campaign consultants, we’re often chatting with potential major donors about their philanthropic interests. 

Why are these major donors so important?

One of our key questions in our feasibility studies is asking donors who they are feeling about giving in today’s economy.

It’s important to remember that these are individuals who have significant assets, particularly in real estate and investments. They are six, seven, and eight-figure donors, who typically are not feeling the impact of inflation, and are not particularly worried about their future income. 

More importantly, these are the donors who tend to make or break capital campaigns. They’re often the top lead donors to capital campaigns – and they are the people we want to be involved in our campaign projects.

Are these mega donors still committed to their favorite causes?

What we’re finding out is that, regardless of the murky economic outlook, these donors remain deeply committed to their favorite causes. Nothing seems to have changed in terms of their commitment. 

This means that, as long as they are engaged, passionate, and committed to your organization’s work, you have a strong opening for a major or even a mega gift.  

Your team’s personal mission for the upcoming year.

So, the real question for you is – how can you be sure that your organization’s mission is still one of their favorite causes? 

How can you keep pulling these key individuals in, engaging them in your work, and helping them see the beautiful impact their gifts are making in the world?

 That needs to be the personal mission of your team today – to make your project a priority for these donors personally.

Top Takeaways From Real-Time Conversations with Mega Donors

Here are what donors are telling us in our feasibility study interviews right now. These are recent, real-time, gentle gift conversations with donors about making major gifts. 

  “We give through our Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and this project is a priority to us.”

Many donors already have money for philanthropy set aside in their personal DAF or private foundation. That means, the DAF funds are available for gifts, no matter what is going on in the economy.

Your takeaway: When a gift comes in from a DAF, your team should be on red alert, because it indicated you have a major donor prospect.

 “I am concerned about economic and political uncertainty. But we plan to support this project.”

Even though the economy is uncertain, most major donors whom we interview tell us that they’re so committed to the organization and the project that they will support it anyway. 

Notwithstanding the uncertainty, they are steadfast in their support. Those are the kinds of donors who stick with you when the going gets tough. 

Your takeaway: Keep these special supporters close!

“We must do this project – the new building is needed.”

Again, these donors know how much their community needs the new building. The donors understand the need, and why it “must happen.” They are super committed regardless. 

“Any economic downturn makes the work of our organization more vital.  

These donors feel that the current economic uncertainty is a trigger for even more giving. This means that, in a down economy, they are MORE loyal, not less. 

Your takeaway: These donors just might be your capital campaign champions. They can spread the word among their peer philanthropists that your organization’s mission is more important than ever.

 “I think the proposed goal is attainable, but we need to work smart.”

These donors are still bullish on multi-million dollar campaign goals. We want the donors to feel confident about the campaign’s ability to be successful.

Your takeaway: You want campaign leaders who have confidence in your ability to raise money. This confidence will spread to other top donors, your board and other important campaign volunteers.

Bottom line: Mega donors are still giving. Their philanthropy does not seem to be impacted by the economy.

Don’t hold back!

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly insights with you as we cover important fundraising strategies.  If your organization is planning a capital campaign or expanding your major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.

How is Post-COVID Fundraising Different?

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It was just over two years ago that our fundraising world seemed to come to a roaring halt with the onset of the pandemic.  No one was prepared.  The questions and SOS calls poured in.

How do you raise major gifts without donor visits?Should we pause our campaign?What about our events?  How do we make up those losses?

Fast forward to today. 

We learned a lot in those early pandemic days.  One important key learning is that the nonprofit community is resilient.  

We mastered zoom, picked up the phone, and became more authentic and transparent in our communication with donors.  

So, what did we learn from the past two-plus years that is useful to the post-Covid fundraising era?

We’re hosting a free webinar next week that you won’t want to miss. “How to Jumpstart Your Capital Campaign and Achieve Early Success Today.”We will share how the capital campaigns we’re guiding now – in the post-COVID fundraising era, are triggering mega donors to unlock early gifts. Find out more here.

Post-Covid Fundraising Gives Us More Options

The new hybrid approach – in-person and virtual – is here to stay.  Donors are equally comfortable with the virtual environment.  

This gives us options for meeting with donors that create efficiencies and positive outcomes.  

Gone are the days when your donor or board member who spends summers at the coast is unavailable for months.  Zoom provides you and them with the option to stay in touch and keep moving the relationship forward.  

The bottom line is we have more options for meeting with our donors.  And donors like having these options that allow them to meet with their favorite nonprofit from the comfort of their favorite armchair. 

Post-Covid Fundraising – Donors’ Philanthropic Priorities Have Shifted

Donors responded to needs made more urgent by the pandemic such as food insecurity, affordable housing, and social justice issues.  Many nonprofits experienced record fundraising results during the second half of 2020 and 2021.  

Donors who were at home seeing long food lines and other critical needs reported on news outlets responded with contributions.  Their motivation – to help others in need.

The challenge for these organizations was – could they hang on to these donors?  How much to invest in retention?  Would these donors shift back to their previous philanthropic priorities or not?

Fast forward to today and we are seeing donor retention numbers down.  People are going back to a more pre-pandemic life.  Donors are focusing on organizations they have traditionally supported.  

One takeaway from this experience is that each organization must understand what motivates their specific donors to give.

Donors who understand the need and how your organization is impacting that need will give to your organization.  That was clearly demonstrated during the pandemic when donors were seeing needs demonstrated on nightly news programs.  

This means you should invest in good donor communications and donor loyalty strategies.  Are you telling the story of your organizations impact in clear and understandable ways?  Are you helping your donors feel connected to the work? 

Major Donor Fundraising Has Changed

Entertaining donors has never been particularly effective in moving donors to make a gift commitment.  During the pandemic, clearly, there was no entertaining at all! 

Many of our regular fundraising tools such as coffees, lunches, and other entertainments, were simply not possible.

Frankly, we thought this downturn in socializing with donors was an opportunity – a silver lining of sorts. 

Direct Conversations with Donors.

As we shifted to the new pandemic environment, we begin teaching our clients a new approach – how to have a Direct Conversation with a donor.   

To move the donor relationship forward to a gift commitment requires:

  • understanding what motivates the donor
  • what they value
  •  what is important to them is how they seek to help others through their philanthropy

Direct Conversations focused directly on the donor and learning more about them.  The beauty of Direct Conversation is that you can have it in person, on the phone, or on Zoom.  

You can have a Direct Conversation anytime and anywhere.

No longer tied to face-to-face coffees and lunches, we have the freedom to get to the point quickly and support the donor’s desire to help.  The donor is happier, and we are more successful with our major gift fundraising.

Feasibly Studies for Capital Campaigns Have Changed

We experienced very successful campaign planning and campaign execution during the pandemic.  As we move into a post-pandemic era, the changes described above are impacting feasibility studies and campaigns as well.

The virtual options are here to stay in post-COVID fundraising.

We see the majority of feasibility study interview participants opting for a Zoom meeting over in-person.  The ease of scheduling and accessibility makes it easier for your donor to say yes to an interview.  

And the donors are perfectly willing to have a frank discussion with us over zoom. Nothing has changed in the nature of the feasibility study interview.

We will likely be unpacking our learnings from the pandemic for some time.  And we will likely see further changes as we learn more.  

Bottom Line on Post-COVID Fundraising – change can be a good thing.  

Adapting to new ways of doing things can result in better fundraising results, improved donor relationships, and successful campaigns.

Don’t forget our open free webinar next week – “How to Jumpstart Your Capital Campaign and Achieve Early Success Today.”

We will share how the capital campaigns we’re guiding now are triggering mega-donors to unlock early gifts – especially in the post-COVID era.

We look forward to seeing you!

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly insights with you as we cover important fundraising strategies.  If your organization is planning a capital campaign or expanding your major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.

What Will Trigger Mega Donors to Unlock Early Capital Campaign Gifts?

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What Will Trigger Mega Donors to Unlock Early Capital Campaign Gifts?

What Will Trigger Mega Donors to Unlock Early Capital Campaign Gifts?

This is the question that many nonprofit leaders ask – over and over. For every capital campaign that we advise – this is often a huge question hanging in the air.  

If you want to take a deep dive into this question, sign up to watch the replay of our open webinar, How to Jumpstart Your Capital Campaign and Achieve Early Success Today.

Do you know where the lead gifts for your next capital campaign will be coming from? That’s the first question that I often ask: How close are you to the 7 and 8-figure donors on your prospect list?

Why do we focus on these mega gifts and high-net-worth donors?

Because it’s the largest, early capital campaign gifts that are often the most important. These are the gifts that set the pace for other gifts that follow. They set a giving standard that can inspire other donors to step forward.

Even more, a very large gift from a well-known supporter helps to build confidence in an institution’s campaign. Another reason these lead gifts are important is that the gift can trigger interest from similar philanthropists, and even open doors to new donor relationships. 

So, focusing on these early, lead gifts is one of the most important, most strategic activities of early campaign planning. 

What does it really take to trigger early capital campaign gifts from high-net-worth donors?

There are several factors that come together to trigger an early, substantial capital campaign commitment. Among these, one of the most important causes is the magic ingredient of Influence.

What do we mean by Influence?

We want to know who can influence the donor. Who on our team or in our inside circle knows them?

Most importantly, who do we know or have access to, who CAN influence the donor?

What (or who) will incline and influence the donor to think kindly about our project – among all the other causes they like to support? What will help us rise to the top of the donor’s radar screen, so to speak?

We are trying to weave a web of influence to get the right people in the room at the right time. For example, if we can secure the support of one key influencer in a community, then that person can encourage several other people to support us. 

Why is Influence so important?

It often boils down to a matter of trust. For example, does the donor trust the people running the organization?

Many gurus in the past (check out “Asking” by Jerry Panas) have found that mega-donors will not give unless they know, trust and even like the organization’s leaders. 

That means that board members matter.

If you are planning a capital campaign, you want to build your board with people who have excellent networks in the philanthropic community.

In addition, you want them to be trusted by major donors in your community.

Best of all, if you have board members who are major donors themselves, they can help open doors to other philanthropists. 

Laying out an Influence Strategy to unlock early capital campaign gifts.

It’s like assembling the pieces of the puzzle. Who needs to be involved, and when, in order to influence a very special lead donor?

Here’s a case in point: For some of our capital campaigns around the country, we’ve been able to secure the help (and endorsement) of a former state governor. 

The plan to get in front of the governor was laborious and exacting. We had to have the right person call the former governor and ask them to make a key phone call. The retired governor understood how important influence can be to secure an important supporter.

An Influence Strategy is a step-by-step process.

Our clients often have many calls with other people before they ever approach a lead donor.

These were advice visits and calls, brainstorming the appropriate process – who, what, when and where? In what order? Who calls whom first?

Working through Board members.

Often, we will have advice visits with key board members, bringing them a specially curated short prospect list for review and discussion.

What I mean by a curated list, is that we select about 5-10 specific prospects whom we think the board member can help with.

So the short prospect list is customized specifically for each board member, usually with the names of donors who may be in the board member’s sphere of influence.

Bottom line: Unlock Early Capital Campaign Gifts

It takes a lot of strategy to close early capital campaign gifts. An Influence Strategy can help secure the support of your mega leadership donors.

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly insights with you as we cover important fundraising strategies.  If your organization is planning a capital campaign or expanding your major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.

Major Cryptocurrency Gifts in Just Two Weeks?

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Has your team thought about getting set up for accepting cryptocurrency gifts? Have you wondered if it is really worth the bother? 

We weren’t sure, either. All this cryptocurrency talk was too speculative for us.

That is, until we chatted with Ariel Rogers, the Executive Director of Friends of Bonobos, and a former member of our Major Gift Intensive cohort. (In case you have not heard of bonobos, they are a type of ape, and are our closest genetic relatives.)  

What we found out. 

Ariel and her team raise money and awareness to help save endangered bonobos in Africa. After one of her donors suggested they take cryptocurrency gifts and offered to help and donate, she decided to do some research. 

Ariel found The Giving Block (we wrote about them three weeks ago), an organization that helps nonprofits accept cryptocurrency donations. After asking her donor for advice, and including them in the decision, Ariel’s team made the leap. They registered with The Giving Block, got set up to accept cryptocurrency gifts and immediately that same donor donated $10,000. 

$90,000 in less than two weeks.

Not only did her donor promptly come through with a $10k gift, but an NFT community also gave them $77k shortly after they registered with The Giving Block. Plus, even more money flowed in. 

A major gift from an NFT Community.

Apparently, there is a crypto group that focuses on apes. These enthusiasts hang out together on social media, mostly twitter and instagram, sharing their interest in all types of apes. As part of their activities, they decided to make some gifts to charities – and Friends of Bonobos made their list.

Using social media to connect to donors.

Ariel and her team constantly focus on building awareness on social networks. For this reason, they make twitter, instagram and facebook a priority, and have built a social reach from 10k to over 120k followers in only two years. 

So this is how this major donor crypto group found out about Friends of Bonobos. 

Ariel’s team is out there every day on social – sharing stories of their mission, their impact and the cute, but endangered Bonobos. They are chatting with other enthusiasts and building relationships with potential donors.

Why social reach is so important.

Get this from a fundraising standpoint: At Friends of Bonobos, their team sees social initiatives as a way to identify new friends for their cause. In other words, social serves as the first step in the fundraising funnel. 

For this reason, the building of awareness is a serious business. Social media covers the functions of what traditional marketing used to do, and it works.

From social followers to becoming donors.

It’s clear that you can transition your social followers into donors. In the case of Friends of Bonobos – all social followers are invited to share their email and sign up for the newsletter. 

Once followers start receiving the newsletter, they may become more and more interested and invested in the cause. And as you might expect, interest and investment often lead to donations. 

And chances are, some of these highly active followers might be crypto investors. 

Connecting with crypto donors via social media.

When we interviewed Pat Duffy, co-founder of The Giving Block, last June, he described a general profile of people who are most vigorously investing (and donating) in cryptocurrency: 

These investors are usually under 40 years old, 84% are male, they are highly financially literate and they are very active on social networks. 

So, it makes perfect sense that you need a strong social media presence if you want to position yourself in front of wealthy young crypto donors. They are clearly out there, and the cryptocurrency market is only growing. 

Bottom Line: Research cryptocurrency gifts – one nonprofit says it is definitely worth it.

As Ariel said – she did her research, she had a little help, and she took the leap for her organization. And it paid off – $90k and counting. 

Want to start accepting crypto donations? Gail Perry Group highly recommends The Giving Block. Find out more here.

We are always looking for ways to help nonprofits succeed in their fundraising efforts. Make sure you do your due diligence before saying “no” to accepting crypto donations. It might just be worth it.

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you as we cover new fundraising trends. 

If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.

The New Fundraising Frontier: Cryptocurrency

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Looks like cryptocurrency is here to stay. And, yes, it’s time for all nonprofits to get set up to receive donations in the form of cryptocurrency. Because there are plenty of donors with appreciated crypto investments. 

Yes, cryptocurrency is a new technology, and many people are dubious about it. It’s volatile, and considered to be high risk. But the market is growing rapidly. 

Consider that investors in cryptocurrency tend to be younger, very digitally literate and financially sophisticated. And to be frank, because of large profits, many of these investors DO need the tax deductions and write-offs that come from making charitable contributions. 

Let’s unpack this. 

First of all, what is cryptocurrency?

It’s the generic term that describes all types of digital currencies. And that includes bitcoin – the most popular cryptocurrency and the one that gets all the press. 

Rapidly growing number of investors 

Estimates are that 100-300 million individuals are users or investors in cryptocurrency. Interest is high around the world, and only growing stronger. 

Even more, the number of cryptocurrency users literally doubled from 2017 to 2019.

And more recently, the market saw a 16% jump in users all in the month of January 2021.

As the crypto market has grown, so have donations. 

According to The Giving Block website, cryptocurrency donations equal about $300,000,000 each year. 

We are impressed with The Giving Block team and their site. The Giving Block is a technology platform for accepting cryptocurrency donations, and we highly recommend checking it out. 

We actually invited one of the Giving Block co-founders to tell our Insiders members about crypto fundraising – and it was certainly fascinating.  

Why would we be interested in crypto-investors as potential donors? 

Many crypto users are enjoying very, very high profits. They really do need the tax deductions that come from charitable contributions.

As of today, July 1, 2021, Bitcoin has appreciated 286% in only one year, since July 1, 2020. This amount of profit is hard to imagine. 

If an investor wanted to convert some of his bitcoin to regular cash, he would incur substantial capital gains taxes. Therefore, why not make some gifts to offset the substantial tax burden? 

The GivingBlock experts say that many investors are literally shopping around for charities to support. Check out the list of registered nonprofits on the Giving Block site, and you can see that there are under 300. 

Fascinating demographics of cryptocurrency investors. 

Consider this new demographic of potential donors. Cryptocurrency users – and crypto donors – are generally in the Millennial and Gen Z demographic. 

  • Approximately 74% of crypto investors are male. And remember, they are younger, as mentioned above. What an interesting new donor demographic to go after!

In addition, The Giving Block site says that 43% of millennials prefer crypto investing to stocks, with many holding highly appreciated crypto that they can donate each year for tax purposes. 

Target a fundraising campaign directly to crypto investors. 

It’s actually possible to craft a campaign targeted specifically toward crypto users. 

Our new friends at The Giving Block site are helping several national charities launch these campaigns, and are seeing pretty amazing results. 

Bottom Line: What this could mean for your organization.

We know. This is a bit mind-blowing. Not only is there a largely untapped market of very wealthy young individuals. But very few nonprofits are out there in front of these donors. It’s up to you and your institution to move now to capitalize on this new market. If you’d like to learn more about cryptocurrency and get set up to be listed on The Giving Block’s website – click here.

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you as we cover new fundraising trends. 

If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a free strategy call with us.

Major Donor Conversation Starters: “What Are Your Impressions?”

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People often ask us: “What do I talk about when I meet with donors?  How will I start a conversation? What questions should I ask?

We have a very simple approach to starting conversations with donors.

We like to probe, so we know immediately where the donor stands and what is on their mind. Our favorite “Golden Question” is:

“What are your impressions of . . . ?”

This open-ended question often brings forth interesting results.  Not only that, we’ve raised lots of money by asking this question.

This phrase creates an easy, gentle opening to find out what’s going on with your donor.  It’s completely donor-centered, and focused on them.

Moreover, this question helps you find out pretty immediately what your donor is thinking; about your presentation, your cause, your event, your plans, or even your  organization’s vision.

This question is a golden formula to help open your donor’s heart to your cause.

Why?

Because it generates the donor’s own thinking about your issue. For example, it encourages them to ponder your presentation and react to it.

Asking for their feedback and thinking helps them digest your material, and think more deeply about it. They are no longer passive in the conversation – instead, they are active participants.

Above all we want to know what is on THEIR mind, what they think and how they feel about it.

Your job is to ask, and then listen carefully.

Your donor is not going to get excited about your cause just by listening to you doing all the talking. Don’t forget the fundraiser’s Kiss of Death – talking too much!

Your wonderful, generous, well-meaning donor needs time to mull over what you’ve said.  They need to “stew” in the urgent need or bold vision you’ve just presented.

It’s certainly a much deeper conversation than if you had just presented, thanked them and left.

Get the donor talking to YOU – not the other way around.

Remember, it’s always all about the donor. When we are in a face-to-face meeting, we often forget this.  Too many nonprofit CEOs, fundraisers and even board members think they have to be great salespeople and make a great pitch.

That’s not true.

What you need to do is simply focus on the donor – and listen to them. Your goal is to draw out the donor and get them engaged with you about your cause.

It’s really amazing what you can find out – but you have to ask. And you won’t do that if you’re doing all the talking.

Examples – Put the Golden Question to use:

1.  At the close of a visit with a donor: “What are your impressions?”

Once, we had an Advice Visit regarding a big capital campaign with a potential donor. At the end of our visit, we asked “What are your impressions of our ideas?”

He shared some deep reservations about our project.

Thankfully, we were able to quickly address the issues that were holding him back. He then moved forward to become a substantial donor, and it was a huge win for our campaign.

2. Cultivating a major prospect: “What are your impressions?”

Gail was once walking out of a facility tour with a major donor, who was a candidate for the leadership gift for our capital campaign.  She asked him: What were your impressions of the tour?”

Well, after 5 minutes of conversation – he became so enthusiastic and engaged that he literally invited her to bring forward a $5ook proposal.

Now, that’s cultivation.

3. After a pitch: “What are your impressions?”

We often make presentations to potential clients in order to help them stage successful capital campaigns or build profitable major gift programs.

We always ask, as we wrap up, about their impressions of our presentation. And we get terrific feedback regarding what they are thinking.

4. When we are training or presenting: “What are your impressions?”

In our Fired-Up Fundraising workshops with board members, we want to help them ponder and digest the material we are discussing.

So we model the Golden Question, frequently asking them “what are your impressions of these ideas?” It gets them to mull over and reflect on the discussion, and ultimately walk away with much more than if we had simply presented and left.

5.  After a formal presentation: “What are your impressions?”

One of our clients, a Vice Chancellor at a major university, recently made a big presentation to the Board of Visitors. When she was finished she asked her boss, the Chancellor, about his reaction to her ideas.

She asked him, “What were your impressions of my presentation?” As a result, she received positive feedback from her boss.

Bottom Line: Ask “What Are Your Impressions?”

The Golden Question can give you wonderful information about your donors, colleagues, board members, even family. It really works in all settings to set you up for success in your relationships.

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you. 

If your organization is planning a capital campaign or launching a major gifts program – we can help. We’re with our clients every step of the way, inspiring their teams and board, building confidence, driving action and measuring success. Send an email to coaching@gailperry.com if you’d like to schedule a strategy or consulting call with us.

Managing Your Major Gift Portfolio Can Be This Easy

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Portfolio management may seem like a technical term. But it’s an excellent format to help you focus your attention on your best, and most likely donor prospects.

Of course, one of the secrets to successful mega fundraising is identifying where to spend your time and attention.

Most major gift portfolios are packed with so many prospects, that you can’t possibly spend quality attention on all of them. So you simply have to focus.

Today, we’re sharing an easy portfolio management system that can help you – and everyone on your team, be more productive, and raise money much faster.

Our 10-20-30 Portfolio Management Approach.

Back when I was a frontline fundraiser, I had the exciting job of chief development officer for the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina.

Needless to say, we had plenty of donor prospects who looked quite promising. However, we had a problem: too many of those promising prospects!

We were in the process of qualifying them. But we still needed a way to organize our time. Where should we start? Who should we try to see first, or second?

Here’s the portfolio management system we worked out – step-by-step. We highly recommend a system like this for you and your team and we’re sharing detailed insights into this system in our new Major Gifts Intensive program.

Step 1. The first step in our portfolio management approach: we rated the prospects.

Clearly this needed to be the first step. We spent considerable time analyzing them, and assigning ratings for their level of interest and giving capacity.

This is a step that major gift officers do every day.

In actuality, it took quite a bit of time to refine each individual’s rating – to get a pretty solid handle on where they stood and what their financial capacity might be.

Step 2. We separated all the prospects into 4 groups.

Top 10 Prospects – These were individuals who were very close to making a gift. Our team was “readying them for a solicitation,” so to speak. They were our top priorities. And they were getting tons of attention.

We were chatting with them often – about their interests, seeking their advice and input, and asking for their help with other donors.

Next 20 Prospects – Prospects who were very active and interested. They were enjoying their connection with us and were almost ready for an ask, but not quite.

Next 30 Prospects – People who were showing a lot of interest, had solid potential – but still needed more time to bring them closer to the cause.

Back-burner Prospects – These were donors whom I wanted to get to know. On the surface, they seemed to have great promise. But we would need to gently bring them along. They were not yet fully qualified.

Step 3. We set priorities and made a plan for how we’d spend our time.

We planned to “touch” these donors in priority order:

The Top 10 Prospects once a month. Since these donors were almost ready to be asked, they received a lot of attention and were our top priority.

The Next 20 Prospects every other month. These donors were almost ready for a campaign ask, so we were also very focused on them.

The Next 30 Prospects once a quarter. These donors were in the nurturing stage – or they could be in the post-gift stewardship stage. We never, ever wanted to let go of people who had already made a major gift.

For our lovely Back-burner Prospects, we tried to see them when we could. They were “fillers” when we were planning a trip or an event. Since we were in the discovery phase with these individuals, we tried to create “get to know you” opportunities with them.’

Step 4. Each month, we created cultivation moves.

For each of the Top 60 Prospects, we defined a cultivation move that was unique to each individual.

Step 5. We reviewed and reorganized the list monthly. 

What really made Prospect Management work for us was this last step: we evaluated and reorganized the list every month.

It was a big job to run through a detailed review of each prospect and where they stood each month. Sometimes it look as much as a half day/month. But it was worth it, because we created touches that were deliberate and customized for our key donors.

Our results?

We were organized with priorities and an easy-to-implement plan.

And we were successful! Our team raised $50 million from those terrific donors for a new business school building, the beautiful McColl Center at UNC-CH.

BOTTOM LINE on Portfolio Management.

You can raise this kind of money just like I did as a young fundraiser. And you can also feel your own work life transformed, just like this.

Just get organized with a prospect management or moves management system that works for you. We can help.

This system will save your life, keep you organized and most of all, help you allocate your time to the right people.

 

How a Capital Campaign Planning Committee Develops Lead Donor Relationships

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How a Capital Campaign Planning Committee Develops Lead Donor Relationships

If you’re planning a capital campaign, you are very likely evaluating your fundraising potential. 

How much can you raise? Who will be your major funding sources? Would a Capital Campaign Planning Committee help you raise more? 

 A few other important questions you’re probably pondering are: 

Who do you need to have involved? 

Who should be your volunteer leaders? 

Who can help open doors to gifts? 

What about your donor relationships?

  • How warm or cool are your relationships with key funders and donors? 
  • Do you have close relationships with the major donors you need in order to fund your campaign? 
  • How can you bring these major donors closer and start to re-engage them?   

What’s your situation? 

You might be with an educational institution that needs to develop closer relationships with potential lead donors with deep pockets. 

Or maybe you’re with a community organization with a big vision, but has lost touch with your major donors. 

Whatever type of organization, this plan is crucial to your success.

You’ll need to reconnect with major donors, community leaders and leading philanthropists to cultivate their interest in your upcoming initiative and run a successful capital campaign. 

Why a Capital Campaign Planning Committee is such a smart move

You need strong leadership volunteers if you want to be successful. 

We know from experience that many capital campaigns are won or lost based on their volunteer leadership. We find that if you have the right powerful people heading up your campaign, you are well on your way to success. 

So choose wisely.

 These key individuals help open doors and make connections. They can influence gifts, and command attention. Even more, when key donors “bless” your project, they add credibility to your campaign. 

Create the right Capital Campaign Planning Committee 

Try pulling together a group of the most powerful, wealthiest, wisest, and most influential volunteers and donors you can find. Ask them to review your plan, offer advice and help formulate your campaign. There’s no better way to draw someone in than to involve them in key strategic decisions along the way.

A planning committee gives you a wonderful chance to inform your key donors about your campaign. You gain the benefit of their advice and wisdom, and often their input is invaluable.

Inviting them to serve on this high-powered committee is a terrific way to cultivate them for their future campaign gifts. What’s more, these individuals always yield amazing new connections, relationships and assistance — from the people who matter.

If you’re you still looking for your campaign chair or co-chairs, ask a key donor to serve on the Capital Campaign Planning Committee. This provides an excellent opportunity to prepare someone for the job of campaign chair.

Why would these donors join your Capital Campaign Planning Committee? 

 Your ideal key leaders are busy people, with many commitments and interests. They may be somewhat interested in your campaign, but usually are not willing to make a long-term commitment as a campaign volunteer.

Asking them to be a part of your Capital Campaign Planning Committee is a unique opportunity to re-engage them with an invitation to help shape the campaign. When you ask them to serve on a short-term planning committee, they are more likely to say yes since it’s a shorter time commitment. 

We find that once these individuals are involved on the planning committee, they become much more interested and personally invested in your campaign’s success. 

After building their interest, they are more likely to say “yes” to the Campaign Steering Committee itself when the time comes. 

Involvement breeds investment

Throughout our time leading capital campaigns, we have found the planning committee to be a golden key to securing the involvement of heavy hitters and lead donors. 

We’re always surprised at how effective this simple strategy is. 

But it works.

There’s no better way to draw someone in than to involve them in key strategic decisions along the way.

Bottom Line: Build a Capital Campaign Planning Committee

Your Capital Campaign Planning Committee is an excellent strategic tool for engaging major philanthropists and donors early in your campaign. 

It’s not a question of if you need this committee. It’s a question of who you need on this committee.

Go forth and succeed! We are always in your corner.

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you. 

If you are planning a capital campaign, look out for our NEW course launching next week. We will focus on Capital Campaigns in Times of Crisis and will be sharing 5 keys to success in today’s uncertain world. 

Hope you have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Three Ways Our Current Environment Opens Unique Opportunities for Fundraising

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We know our current environment presents challenging times. You’ve had to reinvent just about everything you do – from communicating with your donors to delivering your organization’s services. 

Just about everything is different.

All of these hurdles are interesting to donors! Believe it or not, they actually want to hear about your changes, the issues you are grasping with, the shifts you are making. 

As we’ve said earlier, it’s certainly not business as usual these days. 

So we want to reiterate – you have NEWS to share with your donors. News they are open to hearing about. 

Here are three ways that the current environment opens unique opportunities for fundraising  – new doors to donors. 

1. You have a special opportunity to reengage your donors in your vision for the future.

We recently talked about the fact that a small goal and a small vision won’t cut it in this environment. Remember, the bigger your vision, the more money you can raise. 

You can inspire and reengage your donors right now with an exciting big picture vision of the impact you can make in your community. 

Tough times call for new plans, new visions, new excitement. Donors usually don’t want to give to just the status quo. They do want to give to an exciting initiative. 

These times call upon us to create new initiatives. Then we can easily offer a special project to a donor to peak their interest in funding it.

2. You have new chances to gain access to donors.

Share with donors your plan for moving your organization ahead in this environment. They are open to new kinds of communication. 

Donors are more available now, since many have cut their outside commitments and travel. They may be hungry for good news. 

So reach out to your donors. 

Hold zoom briefings on various aspects of your service area. Have a town hall with your executive director or president. Introduce key program managers to your donors, and let program staff share directly how things are going. 

We want to be clear here – you have an opportunity like no other right now. To be in communication with your stakeholders, major donors, and funders. This environment has made it easier to gain access and get their attention.

So, go for it! Be in frequent touch with your donors. Share the news they are interested in!

3. You have a unique opening to ask for what you need – NOW.

Right now, you have needs that are clear and present. There are new ways of doing business. Your institution might be shifting to digital.  Even more, your cash flow may be seriously down. 

Again, be clear with donors about how they can help. Share with them the impact they can make with their gift – right now. 

You have a unique opportunity right now to connect with donors about specific issues. However, you have to speak plainly. No jargon. No “pat” phrases you’ve been using for years. 

It’s time to reinvent your language to be more authentic, transparent, and informal. 

Can you make that change? 

It’s harder than you think, because you are used to speaking certain ways that are probably too formal and abstract for your donors today. 

You have an opportunity to shape a very powerful, urgent ask right now. Create compelling stories about how you are impacting the world. Your donors will respond! 

Bottom Line: Go forward vigorously! This is the time to step it up, and your donors will follow. 

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you. 

If you are planning a capital campaign and would like to learn about our unique Capital Campaigns by the Numbers approach, let us know. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Donors are Stepping Up! Giving Was Up 7.5% in the First Half of This Year

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Remember April, when we were all clenching our teeth and thinking “Oh wow, this is not the year for fundraising. How will we get through it?” 

Well, it turns out recent data proves that 2020 is actually a great year for fundraising.

So if you were one of those organizations who didn’t hold back and kept at your fundraising in the spring – Good Job! 

Why 2020 is a Good Year for Fundraising 

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported that giving was up 7.5% in the first half of 2020 based on results from the widely respected Fundraising Effectiveness Project (AFP, 2020). This project works with over 25,000 nonprofits and donor software providers to track and identify quarterly gain/loss findings for the nonprofit sector. 

And what’s more, it wasn’t just the wealthy who were behind the rise. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported gifts of $250 or less rose 19.2%, accounting for a big part of the growth (COP, 2020).

This means that donors are pouring out contributions to their favorite nonprofits – right now. This also means that your steadfast supporters are feeling generous – and they want to help. 

And, there’s more good news in this report: 

Major gifts are up by 6.4% compared to this time last year. And mid-level gifts are up even more – by 8.1%! 

“the number of mid-level gifts ($250 – $999) and major gifts ($1,000 or more) saw year-over-year increases of 8.1% and 6.4%, respectively, compared to 2019 data.” (AFP, 2020)

Wow. That is wild. 

What Does This Mean?

The fact that giving increased 7.5% over 2019’s first half is a huge indicator that donors are motivated and feeling generous. The giving climate for the 2020 year-end giving season is projected to be robust. 

All of the signals indicate that giving is still quite solid as we move into autumn. And even with all the noise surrounding the election and the pandemic, loyal donors are stepping up for the nonprofits they support. 

This is certainly a great time to be out there, in front of your donors. Remind them about the impact your organization creates, and invite them to contribute. 

Why are we seeing so much generosity now?

For some time, we’ve thought that donors are simply more motivated these days, especially as we watch new gifts flowing into the capital campaigns we counsel. 

Our interviews and focus groups with donors have solidified this thought, and it seems data is now showing this trend as well.

1. Donors want to do something positive

With all the disruption of 2020, not least of all the pandemic, donors want to take action and do something positive for their community, and the world. 

They are motivated to bring forward kindness and compassion. When they are aware of the needs, especially regarding causes they care about – they want to respond.

While many have been terribly impacted, both physically and financially, many other major and mid-level donors were less affected and are still quite well-off financially. For many, they want to reach out and help others who have been less fortunate, through supporting nonprofits. 

2. The stock market is up, which is good for year-end

The US stock market took a hit, but now it continues to soar. Donors with investment portfolios are feeling flush. In our opinion, when donors feel financially secure, they tend to be more generous. TIP: remind your donors they can donate appreciated stocks! 

Even when the stock market was low, many major donors did not feel the hit and were still donating. On top of that – major donors may have more to donate in 2020 because any  traveling or larger outings were most likely cancelled. 

Bottom Line: 2020 has Shown To Be an Enormous Opportunity for Fundraising – Backed by Data

I hope you have been making the most of this generosity this year. And if you haven’t, it’s not too late to start!

 

As always, it is a pleasure to share our weekly news and insights with you. 

If you are planning a capital campaign and would like to learn about our unique Capital Campaigns by the Numbers approach, let us know. You can also join our INSIDERS community for more fundraising training and content. We would love to have you! 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.