Tech Support for Major Gifts

Nonprofit organizations, recognizing that their donors are what fuels their missions, want to make the most of the donors and prospects they have, add new prospects, convert prospects into lifelong donors, and help existing donors recognize their potential within the organization. For many organizations this means implementing and nurturing a major-gifts program.

There are different ways to implement such programs. Two well-known models are The Benevon™ approach (formerly called Raising More Money) and Moves Management® from the Institute for Charitable Giving.

Whatever model organizations choose, the key is the development of strong relationships with donors based on mutual respect for the organization's mission and the donor's desires. Neither the organization's mission nor the donor's desires operate on a predetermined schedule. But both are best met with well-defined and implemented processes.

A solid donor-management system can work in tandem with your major-gift process. Here's how:

Process: Rate your prospects

A process recognized by most major models, and clearly identified in Joan Flanagan's "Successful Fundraising," is to rate the prospects you have. Assign a dollar amount to each of your major-donor prospects. Aim high. If it turns out you are overestimating what a donor will give, don't worry; he or she will let you know.

Rating your prospects helps you to group them based on capacity and commitment to your organization, and it sets clear ask amounts for your organization.

Complement: Fundraising and donor-management applications enable you to rate your prospects by providing ways to identify donors who have given the most and most consistently. This information will complement your collection of information regarding your major-donor prospects. Entering the projected ask amount for each major-donor prospect makes this information available to anyone reviewing the donor's giving history or the planned strategy, or making visits and calls.