Chapter 6: Major Gifts
IN THIS LESSON
Major Gifts—The Centerpiece of Your Clubhouse
If annual giving is the steady heartbeat of your organization, then a major gifts program is the powerful engine that drives your most significant achievements. It's the difference between consistently making it through the season and competing for a championship. A major gifts program is a systematic, long-term approach to building and nurturing deep, personal relationships with individuals who have the capacity and interest to make significant contributions to your mission.
What is a Major Gift?
A major gift is a significant financial contribution that typically results from a personal, one-on-one solicitation. Unlike retail giving, which focuses on a large number of smaller gifts, a major gift program focuses on a small number of large gifts. COGEO defines a major gift as any donation that exceeds the annual giving threshold—more than 1/1000 of your annual budget, or over $250 for a smaller tax-exempt organization. These gifts often provide the resources for transformational projects, new programs, or long-term sustainability.
Major Gifts: At the Center of Your Fundraising
Major gifts sit at the center of the Clubhouse of Development. This isn't just about their size; it's because the principles of major gifts—identification, cultivation, and stewardship—are at the heart of all professional fundraising. A strong major gifts program shows that your organization has moved beyond ad hoc fundraising and is ready to build lasting relationships that lead to a significant impact.
Individuals who are major donors are also much more likely to be highly connected to other helpful avenues of funding. These individuals may sit on the boards of foundations, be involved with corporations, or have influence with government or educational institutions that can become valuable partners. Cultivating these relationships opens doors to a wide network of support.
The Major Gifts Process: "Moves Management"
Building a relationship with a major donor is a long-term process, not a one-time event. This is often referred to as "moves management," a methodology for systematically moving a potential donor closer to your organization over time. The process consists of four key stages:
Identification
You cannot get a major gift without identifying a potential major donor. This involves using data from your CRM (Lesson 2) and tools like wealth screening to identify individuals who have both the financial capacity and a personal connection or interest in your mission.
Cultivation
This is the most important part of the process, where you build a genuine relationship with the prospective donor. This is not about asking for money, but about inviting them into your organization's world. This could include a personal tour of your facilities, a meeting with your Executive Director, or an invitation to a small cultivation event (Lesson 4) where they can see the mission in action.
Solicitation
This is the "ask." It is a personal, one-on-one conversation with a major gift prospect. This meeting is typically conducted by an Executive Director, Development Director, or Major Gift Officer. They may be joined by a board member or another person who has a strong connection to the donor. The ask is almost always for a specific amount. The only exception is the very first ask, where you may choose to say something like, "a meaningful gift at whatever level you feel comfortable, knowing the elements of the case statement and the needs of the organization."
Stewardship
This is the ongoing, long-term process of thanking the donor and demonstrating the impact of their gift. COGEO's stewardship protocol is to steward with communication at least once every quarter. This communication should be in the donor's preferred way and should focus on what one-quarter of their gift did or enabled during that period. Each stewardship communication must be custom to the donor and be treated as a unique, donor-centric experience.
Conclusion
Your major gifts program is the engine that will allow your organization to grow and achieve its most ambitious goals. It's a journey from transactional giving to deep, personal relationships. By focusing on identifying, cultivating, and stewarding these key relationships, you can secure the resources needed to create a lasting legacy for your organization and the communities you serve.