Major Gifts for Your Nonprofit

Crack the Code on Donor Giving

Maybe you’ve seen those big gifts come in to other nonprofits and wondered why you aren’t getting them. Or your donors have gotten quiet and you’re trying to figure out what the appropriate next step is.  There are tried and true ways you can keep your donors close and connected to your cause, leading to ongoing and increasing gifts. Major gifts are the lifeblood of any organization and everything you do, every single day, should be focused on this important part of fundraising.

It ALL Depends on YOU

Yup, your efforts, your time, your creativity, your consistency, your guidance and your leadership. If you are reading this it’s because you know how important it is to bring in gifts for your organization. And you probably realize that someone has to take responsibility for the fundraising efforts. So if you need to work on your mindset, or find a mentor, or appeal to a board member to spend time with you regularly – just do it. Your organization’s success, the services you offer and the impact you have all depend on your commitment to championing your cause with donors.

Plan it Out

You must MUST have a plan for staying in touch with your donors. Put it on your calendar for every month, week and day. It’s way too easy to get caught up in the every day tasks and projects and forget to communicate regularly. If it’s on your schedule to send hand written notes to your top 25 donors every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 10am, you are far more likely to get it done.  And even better, share your schedule with a member or two of your team so they can help keep you accountable.

Get Personal

For the most part, donors like personal relationships with nonprofit organizations. They want to connect with you, your team and the people or community being helped. How can you do that in an authentic way?

• Pick up the phone and call
• Send a handwritten note
• Send a text with a photo of something that involves your beneficiaries
• Send a copy of an article that might interest them
• Wish them a happy birthday or happy anniversary

And remember to keep this genuine. Be inquisitive about your donors and their families and their lives. Ask about their child’s wedding or the birth of a child or grandchild.  Be curious about them and store those nuggets of information away so you can ask about it at a later date. As human beings, we form bonds and trust by having close and personal conversations with each other.

Change it up

If you’ve always sent emails to your major donor, try something new.  Send them an update letter in the mail this time.  Or send a video text and wish them and their families a happy new year.  Think of ways that catch their attention.  And think about having someone else reach out.  Maybe your donor isn’t responding to you but would respond to your board chair because their relationship is closer. And don’t take it personally if your donor responds more quickly to someone else.  There are a million reasons that could happen – the key is to stay focused on the end goal: keeping the donor connected to your organization, regardless of how it happens or who it’s through.

But Be Consistent

If you called just one donor every day for the entire year, your donations would go up exponentially.  We hear this over and over again from successful fundraisers.  They have the best luck when they are consistent and methodical in their efforts to connect.  So map out your plan to call donors, leverage your donor database to its fullest, and make that one call every single day.

There is a recipe for raising ongoing and larger gifts.  The key is consistency.  Commit NOW to being your donor’s trusted friend and show up regularly for them.  It will take time to build a lasting, solid relationship, but it’s well worth it.

And if you feel you need guidance on your Major Gifts strategy, call us!  At Kannico we specialize in training boards and teams on how to raise large gifts and build strong relationships with donors.