Major Gift Fundraising

What is major gift fundraising?

What differentiates it from other fundraising in non-profit organisations, and why do so many organisations find it difficult to find and build relationships with donors?

Major gift fundraising is all about knowing who your best prospects and ‘warm' contacts are - the people that have the ability and motivation to give you the most (in terms of money, time and connections). It's about finding these people, keeping them interested, making them feel valued and involved. It's about engaging with them to build lasting relationships. It's also about the hard ‘business' facts - the budgeting that is needed by your organisation to plan projects, support your stakeholders, invest in new funding. You need to be able to accurately predict where your income is likely to come from and when.

Guided by the widely recognised 7 steps of major gift fundraising, and through 16 years of specific Third Sector specialism, Fisk Brett has developed a methodology for tracking all stages of this fundraising process in a ProgressCRM user defined tab. Using this methodology will help you keep accurate records of your major givers, know when to approach them and why, and provide pipeline reports to your board or trustees on anticipated income.

Major Gifts tab

ProgressCRM already has a range of built-in methodology for fundraisers.

The Major Gifts user-defined-tab complements this functionality with an even easier process.

First, Fisk Brett will remotely install and test your new functionality. This includes a specific Major Gift Profiling user tab; scripts that extend Contact History and the Query Categories; and additions to your Information views and Reports. Then, Fisk Brett has included training for your staff; a Major Gift Fundraising training manual; and even a Powerpoint presentation for you to coach new staff.

The steps that are widely recognised in major gift fundraising are:

  • Identify & research
  • Evaluate
  • Plan
  • Engage
  • Ask
  • Resolve
  • Thank

For more information, you can download an information sheet here