Category Archives: Signature Gifts
Making The Ask
It has been said that solicitation is the act of asking the right person, for the right amount, for the right purpose, at the right time. There are several things you should do, as you plan and prepare for a successful major gift solicitation. Let’s talk about the ask. Thoroughly prepare the volunteer connector, cultivator, [...]
No
No. A single syllable. So final. It can end a conversation like a stop sign. It has a singular ability to derail a solicitation visit. Our mistake is to read too much into no, assuming that no means never. No means not this project, not the requested amount, not the suggested pledge period or type [...]
Truly Transformational
Last year, Leslie Wexner and the Limited Brands Foundation announced a donation of $100 million to Ohio State, the largest donation in the university’s history. In announcing the gift, Wexner, a 1959 OSU graduate, said, “”We all have a responsibility to the community. We all have a responsibility to ourselves to live useful and productive [...]
Small Shop. Big Gifts.
We understand that the small development shop faces a unique set of challenges. One of them is the prioritization of time; carving out appropriate allocations for each of the necessary components of a well-rounded development program. What we must not allow is this hurdle to be the reason we abandon those essential elements: annual giving, [...]
Major Gifts: Creating Access, Ability and Inclination
Are major gifts your nonprofit’s priority? Of course. Logic tells us that focusing on the largest potential donors ensures funds will continue to flow into your coffers. However, on a practical basis, when you evaluate your day to day efforts, are you spending enough time on major gifts? An effective major gifts effort requires a [...]
Ability + Inclination = Success
Every fundraiser knows the chasm between identifying someone who “can” make a major gift and actually getting a signed pledge. The mark of a successful fundraiser is in your understanding how to bridge that gap. How do you convert prospects with the ability to give to your institution to qualified prospects with the philanthropic leaning [...]
Targeting the Better Half
In a recent USA Today survey, 54% of Americans include “making large charitable contributions” in their financial goals and dreams. This philanthropic spirit ranks higher than buying a second home or starting a business and lower than living comfortably, owning a home, paying for college or retiring early. With over half the population wanting to make a difference through philanthropic [...]
