! Major Gifts: What Are You Waiting For… Seize the Opportunity! Heather Kelsey, Director of Development, Latham Centers, Inc. Ian Ives, Sanctuary Director, Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, MA Audubon Mark Pearson, Executive and Artistic Director, The College Light Opera Company Philanthropy Day 2018

What is a Major Gift? The largest donations an organization receives Significant impact Varies by organization - operating budget, existing donor base Not only about gift size - It is about relationships and mission fulfillment in the future.

Successful Fundraising Planning Strategic Plan Major Gifts Restricted Annual Funds (Operating) Appeals Online (Donation button, Appeal, Event) White Mail Grants (Revenue & Operating) Unrestricted & Restricted Events (Operating) Bequests/Planned Giving (Endowment) Stewardship and Donor Recognition Development Plan Case for Support Funding Priorities

Where do we start? Engage leadership Case for support Prospect screening/mining your database Cultivate prospects Train your volunteers Who makes the ask?

Engage Leadership Role of the CEO/ED How can I engage my Board? What are our specific needs? Staff

Internal Readiness Experience of staff and volunteers Resources (time and $) Maturity of fundraising program Depth and breadth of donor/prospect pool Lead donor prospects Database system

CASE FOR SUPPORT Ethos – Establishing reputation and credibility Logos – Making a logical argument supported by reason and data Pathos – Creating an emotional appeal; convincing and audience of an argument by creating an emotional response

Prospect Screening/ Database Mining Affinity Ability Access “Wealthy” is not enough.

Prioritize Your Prospects Top 20% of donors in previous fiscal year Gift Capacity & Inclination (rating) Top 25 lifetime donors Previously visited donors who need attention Donors who upgraded/ downgraded last year Gift of $250+ through direct mail Pick your top 50-250… Prospects to begin moves management ASK

Building Relationships Opportunity for organization to strengthen relationship with donors

Cultivate Your Prospects Inform – Illustrate the need. Educate – Highlight the solution. Motivate – Encourage to give. Visit – Solicit face-to-face How will you cultivate the relationship?

Prospect “Touch Points” Email Online Donations Website Organizational Publications Annual Appeals Prospect Events Phone calls Social Media Newsletters

The process of presenting an opportunity to invest Solicitation The process of presenting an opportunity to invest

The right person asking The right prospect For the right gift Fundraising is… The right person asking The right prospect For the right gift For the right program At the right time In the right way.

Preparing Your Elevator Speech When was your organization founded? What makes your organization unique and important? What is the annual budget? Total staff? Full-time; Part-time How many volunteers? How many acres does your organization own? How many members? Donors? What is endowment? How is the endowment invested?

Preparing Your Elevator Speech Why does your organization NEED annual donations? What is the IMPACT of their gift? Who BENEFITS from their gift? Why should someone donate?

Briefcase Case for Support FAQ’s Pledge form Remittance Envelope Letters of Support

Research – Plan –Role Play – Back-up Plan

Leveraging the Challenge Match Timing the announcement Creating and maintaining urgency Frequent updates

Establish Tangible Results What are the Perks? Naming opportunities Honored at special events Creative recognition Phone calls/e-mails Sharing new program information What are the Results? Communicate results Let donors see the impact of their gift.

Donor Recognition● Honoring Intent● Stewardship

Tales from the fundraising trenches…

Discussion

Questions