Topic
major donors
Pledge Reminders: How to Make Sure Donor Pledges Actually Get Paid
Most unpaid pledges aren't broken promises; they're forgotten ones. Here's how to build pledge reminders that feel like a service to the donor and get more of those commitments paid.
Your Top 25 Donors Shouldn't Get Your Year-End Appeal First
Your biggest year-end gifts usually come from a few donors. Here's how to pick your top 25 and ask them personally before the mass appeal arrives in December.
Donor-Advised Funds Are Growing. Can Your Donors Actually Give From Theirs?
Your DAF donors have already decided to give. The question is where. Here's how DAF gifts work from the donor's side, and the fixes a small development shop can make before December.
The Invitation Mindset: A 10-Day Practice for Fundraisers Who Dread Asking
You can't think your way into a new relationship with fundraising. You have to practice your way there. This 10-day program builds the invitation mindset through small daily actions, from writing your "why" to making a real ask. Each day builds on the last until you've lived your way into a new belief about what fundraising is.
Stop Saying "Sorry to Ask": 7 Phrases That Sabotage Your Fundraising (and What to Say Instead)
The words you use when asking for a gift reveal what you believe about fundraising. Phrases like "I hate to ask" and "anything would help" sabotage your asks before you finish making them. Here are seven phrases to eliminate and exactly what to say instead.
The 5-Minute Reframe: How to Walk Into Any Donor Meeting Without Apologizing
The anxiety before a donor meeting isn't the problem. What you do with it is. This simple 5-minute ritual helps you show up with confidence instead of apology.
[Donor Retention] Episode 15: How to Keep Mid-Level & Major Donors Engaged: Strategies for Nurturing Your Most Impactful Supporters
Looking to strengthen relationships with your most important donors? In this episode, we’re diving into the best strategies for keeping mid-level and major donors engaged and committed to your cause.
How to Research and Prepare for a 5-Minute Major Gift Ask
A focused, five-minute major gift ask seems simple. Frame the opportunity, make your case, create urgency, and request a specific amount. But behind every successful focused ask is hours of preparation and research.
5 Fatal Mistakes That Kill Major Gift Asks (And How to Fix Them)
Most major gift asks fail not because of bad timing or insufficient relationship building, but because of critical mistakes made during the actual request.
Episode 60: How Do I Master Difficult Conversations?
Ever promise a donor something you can't deliver? Had a board member storm out of a meeting?
What to Do When Donors Say No: Handling Objections After a Focused Ask
You've done everything right. You researched your prospect thoroughly, crafted a compelling opportunity, and delivered a focused five-minute ask. Then comes an objection.
The FOCUS Method: A Step-by-Step Framework for Major Gift Asks That Close
The most effective major gift asks take five minutes or less. Not the entire donor meeting – but the actual moment when you present the opportunity and request the gift should be crisp, clear, and focused.
Donor Psychology: Why People Give and How to Ask Well
What donor psychology research and two decades of fundraising show about why people give, how they decide and what keeps them giving.
Episode 48 - The 5-Minute Major Gift Ask
In this episode, Jeremy reveals the FOCUS method - a powerful framework that allows you to make compelling major gift requests in just 5 minutes.
Fundraising Trend: Reimagining Fundraising Events
Donors are seeking experiential events - not just your typical donor gala.
Leveraging Major Donors in Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns
Discover how to supercharge your peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns by effectively engaging major donors, leveraging their influence, and maximizing your nonprofit’s impact.
5 Step Plan to Move General Donors to Become Major Donors
Transform donors into major contributors by deeply understanding their motivations, maintaining engaging communication, hosting exclusive events, providing personalized recognition, and offering opportunities for deeper involvement in your organization's mission.
7 Tips for Volunteer Fundraisers
Discover seven game-changing tips that will transform you from a volunteer fundraiser into a fundraising superstar, empowering you to make a lasting impact on the causes you care about most.
Donor Centric Fundraising and Your Major Donor Strategy
Learn about how donor-centric fundraising has a clear connection to your major donor strategy and how you can make donors feel valued.
7 Steps to Securing Multi-Year Major Donor Commitments
A step-by-step guide for nonprofit fundraisers on how to secure multi-year major donor commitments, emphasizing the importance of careful planning, targeted engagement, sincere recognition, timely reporting, strategic retention efforts, and continuous evaluation and learning.
Personalizing Impact Reports for Major Donors
Learn how to craft personalized impact reports to nurture stronger bonds with major donors and foster increased engagement and collaboration through actionable insights and forward-thinking communication strategies.
7 Tips to Building More Authentic Donor Relationships
If you want to build more authentic relationships with your nonprofit's donors, following these 7 tips can help! From being transparent and keeping it real, to showing appreciation and being yourself, these tips will set you on the path towards success.
50 Conversation Starters with Major Donors
Building lasting relationships with major donors is key to the success of any nonprofit organization, and meaningful conversations play a vital role in achieving that. Dive into our thoughtfully curated list of 50 conversation starters, designed to help you engage with and understand the passions and motivations of your most valued supporters, without asking for money outright.
Major Gift Officer Interview Questions and Answers
In this article, we'll explore 20 job interview questions (and answers!) that are specifically designed for major donor representative positions. From identifying donor needs to building lasting relationships, these questions will help both job seekers and hiring managers understand what it takes to succeed in this important fundraising role.