Jeff Schreifels

Let's talk about ineffective nonprofit leadership, shall we? Some time ago, I passed along a VP of development job opportunity that came across my desk to a former colleague who was looking for a new position...

I’m going to describe for you the state of one organization’s major gift program that we worked on a few years ago that will highlight what’s going on with thousands of other organizations' major gift programs... and quite possibly yours...

Over the course of a year, I would guess that Richard and I speak with over a hundred different leaders and managers of nonprofits. Every one of them desperately wants to grow their major gift revenue, but they, in turn, race to nonprofit mediocrity...

I think I’m going to lose it. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve talked to the leadership of three different organizations that have created a belief in their heads that “their” major donors will not give big nonprofit gifts...

Building trust in any relationship is essential if that relationship is going to be real and authentic. And creating mutual trust in your nonprofit donor relationships is really your ultimate goal. Why? Because if you have mutual trust, then you and your donor will feel comfortable to be real with one another...

Being a small nonprofit is never an excuse to not have a major gift program. Lately, I’ve been talking to a great number of executive directors and development directors from small nonprofits. Bottom line: Everyone is overworked and doing multiple jobs...

In the process of creating a 12-month strategic plan, there is a lot of focus on: soliciting, preparing proposals, thanking the donor and reporting back the impact of that donor’s gift. But, what we have found can really make a difference in nonprofit impact are the small, personal touches that let the donor know you know them...

Do you ever come home after a party and realize that no one at the party ever asked you anything about yourself? Do you find that this is a reoccurring situation? I don’t know about you, but I find that most people I come in contact with are just not very curious...

At Veritus, we have worked with many major gift officers who, when we ask how it’s going with meeting and deepening their relationships with donors, we get a response like this: “Well, I haven’t been having much donor contact. I’m just not finished with all my planning for my caseload, and I have to get my goals done. And I really need to get more understanding of our programs... then I’ll be able to visit and get to know my donors.”...

Don’t blow this great opportunity with your donors. Thank them in the right way. Show them they are appreciated. Remember, it not just about the money; it’s about creating a deep relationship and respect for your donors...

At Veritus over the years, we have conducted hundreds of major donor assessments. These assessments reveal an incredible amount of information. Besides understanding donor retention and donor value attrition, the data reveals a whole slew of donors who donate essentially the same amount year after year. Perhaps it’s $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 or even $20,000 every…

Some time ago, I was walking with one of the major gift officers I work with after lunch. She was lamenting that she felt like there were “so many things” keeping her from meeting with donors. And how she just “wished she had the time” to just get to know them...

I think you might be making your job as a major gift officer even harder. Richard and I often run into CEOs, board members, finance and programs staff who don’t know how major gift programs work or, at best, are just down right skeptical that it really works...

Being disciplined to work out your plan is the absolute key to major gift success. Conversely, it’s the downfall of many major gift fundraisers. At Veritus, we know that introducing a disciplined approach to major gifts will lead to deeper relationships with donors, higher retention rates, lower value attrition rates and much more revenue...

The demands of a major gift officer are enormous. I don’t have to spell them all out to you, because you live it. The same can be said for a development director at a small nonprofit who has to be “everything” fundraising at your nonprofit...