1. I Got a Major Gift! Now What Do I Do?
NYSAIS Conference Presented by Barbara Drayer

2. What Exactly is a Major Gift?
Annual Fund
Capital Campaign
Endowment
Planned Giving

3. Building the Pipeline Take a LOT of Work... ...but it’s worth it!

4. Who Should I Include in My Pipeline?
Anyone you consider to be a major gift prospect The pipeline is a “living” ever-changing tool.

5. Start with what you already know.
Trustees, current parents, grandparents and alumni - This should include donors and non donors who have capacity.
Other constituents giving at a leadership level - Alumni parents and alumni grandparents

6. Then add what you think you know.
New parents and grandparents - include any for whom you have done basic research which indicates they have capacity (home address, job, wedding announcements indicating family wealth, vacation homes, society pages, etc.)
VIPs - long tenured faculty members who might be PG prospects

7. The Most Important Part… Ranking Them
Print the list and rank according to giving history, perceived capacity and commitment, other research
Set meetings with Head of School, Development Committee members, Annual Fund Director/Associate DoDs/Other Staff
New families should be screened by the entire BoT
Rank them with four levels – Immediate, Tier One, Tier Two and Tier Three (using proposal tab in RE)

8. Tier Three New to the School and seems like they might….
Not new, but have never given or attended any events
Distant constituencies like AGP or AP who has been out of the school for a long time but have capacity
A friend of the school, but not closely tied
Might often end up an AF donor and not make a MG (and that’s OK)

9. Tier Two NPs with capacity
CPs, GPs and A who give low leadership levels

10. Tier One NPs with glaringly obvious capacity
CPs, GPs and A who have been giving in middle and high Annual Fund giving levels
Anyone you hope to solicit within the next 12 months
Anyone who you would like to get to know more about by inviting to cultivation events

11. Immediate Given at least one leadership gift
Attended events and shown interest
Had multiple positive contacts with the Head, a trustee, or the Director of Development
Has self-identified as interested in your strategic plan or campaign goals

12. Tier Fluidity Constantly changing depending on many factors
Need strategic attention – assigning trustees/staff to meet people at events and report back
Need to be updated by individuals as things change (after an event)
Need to be reviewed by staff quarterly

13. Information and data are critical!
The Technical Stuff
Information and data are critical!

14. Putting it All Together
Proposals, Actions, Events, oh my!

15. Stewardship Schedule
Figure out what dollar amount makes sense for your school (above $100,000 gets quarterly touches and less than $100,000 is bi-annually?)
Create a query for each and do a “global add” using “Quarterly Stewardship” as a placeholder
Assign appropriate solicitors and reminders
Assign strategic dates with four-week window

16. Cultivation Schedule Stewardship is for keeping donors “in the know”
Cultivation is for getting them to want to become donors
Each group needs and deserves attention and this system allows you to do both in the same place

17. The Fade Away… Sometimes relationships end 😔
There’s only so much time…
Constant review of data and pipeline is crucial for a successful program

18. Thank You!
Barbara Drayer, Founder Drayer Scott Consulting, LLC Box 111 Greenwich, CT (203)