Starting a major gifts program for your nonprofit is like nurturing a vibrant garden. Both can seem daunting but with a structured approach you can cultivate major donors who will significantly impact your organization's mission. Careful planning, tending, and patience is all that’s required.
Step 1: Start your major gifts program by defining what YOUR major gift is
The first step in gardening is preparing the soil, ensuring it’s fertile and ready to support growth. In your nonprofit, this means understanding what a major gift means for your organization. For some, a major gift might be $500., while for others, it might be $100,000. Analyze your current donor base and fundraising efforts to set an appropriate threshold. This groundwork sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Step 2:Identifying potential major donors
Once the soil is ready, it’s time to plant seeds. In your major gifts program, these seeds are the relationships you’ll cultivate with potential major donors. Look within your existing donor base for individuals who have consistently supported your cause, shown increased giving, or demonstrated a strong interest in your mission. These individuals are the seeds that have the potential to grow into major donors.
Step 3: Cultivating Relationships
Seeds need water and nutrients to grow, just as your donor relationships need cultivation and care. Research your potential major donors to understand their interests, giving history, and connection to your cause. Engage with them through personalized communication, invite them to special events, and provide regular updates on your organization’s impact. This nurturing process is essential to build trust and foster a deep connection.
Step 4: Your case for support
In a garden, plants often need support structures like trellises to help them grow. Similarly, your major gifts program needs a strong framework. Develop a compelling case for support that clearly articulates your mission, vision, and specific projects or needs that major gifts will support. Make your case emotional, tangible, and urgent, giving donors a clear understanding of how their contributions will make a difference.
Step 5: Creating your team
Gardens require regular maintenance, including a team of insects to pollinate flowers and individuals to weed and prune, for the garden to thrive. A successful major gifts program requires a dedicated team too. This can include staff, board members, and volunteers who are passionate and willing to engage with major donors. Provide training on donor stewardship, effective communication, and the specifics of your case for support.
Step 6: Planning the ask
The moment of the ask is like harvesting the fruits of your labor. Just as a gardener knows when a plant is ready to be picked, you’ll recognize when a donor is ready to be approached for a major gift. Plan your ask carefully, tailoring your approach to each donor’s interests and capacity. Be clear about the amount you’re requesting and how it will be used. A successful harvest requires patience and timing, ensuring that the ask feels like a natural progression of your relationship.
Step 7: Stewardship and follow up
After receiving a major gift, it’s important to celebrate and share the harvest. Thank your donors promptly and sincerely, recognizing their contribution publicly (if they’re comfortable with it). Keep them updated on how their gift is making a difference, providing regular reports and stories that highlight the impact of their generosity. This stewardship ensures that donors feel valued and appreciated, encouraging future support.
Step 8: Evaluate and adjust
Gardens are cyclical, with each season bringing new opportunities for growth. Similarly, your major gifts program should be an ongoing process. Regularly evaluate your progress, measure outcomes, and seek feedback from your donors. Use this information to refine your strategies ensuring that your program remains dynamic and sustainable.
With careful planning, dedicated effort, and ongoing care, you can grow a program that yields substantial support for your nonprofit. By connecting passionate individuals with the causes they care about most, you’ll create a thriving garden of generosity that sustains your mission and drives your organization forward.
If Dandelion Consulting can help you build your major giving program or support you in an advisory role, then let’s talk.
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