Many Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) use the term “Major Gifts” to refer to those that are larger than the usual range of gifts that arrive in the mail. Typically, $1,000 is the magic number.

But, unless an organization’s budget and/or the amount to be raised via the fundraising process is unusually small, gifts of $1,000 won’t significantly aid in pursuing financial goals.

A Major Gift, which could be a planned gift, is not based upon exceeding a specific dollar figure — as above, but requires:

1• Amounts that will significantly help to attain fundraising goals
– 1% or more of the goal would be significant. If your goal is
$1,000,000, at $1,000 each, you’d need 1,000 gifts; and, unless
you have the prospect base with that many donors who have given
at that level in the past, that’s not very likely. Realistically, for a goal
of that size, gifts of $10,000 and up are necessary. (We will address
the concept, construction and use of a Gift Table in a subsequent posting.

2• That prospects be cultivated and solicited on a face-to-face basis.
Consistent with the concept/practice of “development,” in order to get
donors to want to make “major” gifts, there must be a relationship
between the donor and the person doing the asking. And that person
must also be one of the people, in not the person, doing the cultivating
and educating of the prospective donor.
(Prospect Cultivation will be addressed in-depth in future postings.)

3• Ask amounts that are well thought out and well researched.
When asking for ANY gift to a non-profit, it should always be for a
specific dollar figure. For a major gift, it should be a figure based
on the donor’s ability to give … and you should always be able to
give the donor a good reason “why that amount” !! (For discussion
in a future posting.)

4• The development and implementation of an individual plan,
or strategy for getting each potential donor to the point where s/he is
ready to make the gift you want him/her to make. (For further discussion
in a future posting.)

[If you’ll describe a particular prospective donor [in depth, no names], we
will suggest a possible cultivation process for that individual.]
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Have a question about starting or expanding your fundraising program? Email me at AskDCA@Major-Capital-Giving.com. With over 30 years of counseling in major gifts, capital campaigns, bequest programs and the planning studies to precede these three, we’ll work to answer your question.