1. Prospect and Moves Management for Major Gifts
Robin Kraujalis, CFRE
Assistant Director of Development
Saint Louis Zoo

2. What is a Major Gift?
Amount +
Purpose =
Extraordinary

3. How are major gift fundraising techniques the same? Different?
Reasons for giving
Fundraising cycle
DIFFERENT
One-on-one
Donor-focused
Longer timeframe
Many steps

4. Reasons for Giving - Why do people make major gifts?
They have assets
They have philanthropic needs & interests
Their needs match your mission
They can impact/satisfy needs
They have trust and respect for the organization, solicitor and staff

5. Friend Raising Cycle Qualify Potential donors Stewardship Strategy
Generally self-qualify
Membership levels
Request upgrade
Stewardship
Strategy
Zudus
Invitations
Events
Benefits
Member
Family
Group strategy
Membership levels
Benefits
Naturalist
Keeper
Curator
MPS
Zoo parents
Recognition
Cultivation
Thank you letter
Annual report listing
Donor boards
Marketing
Public relations
Events
Tours
Dinners
Solicitation
Membership renewals
Membership brochures
Adoption renewals

6. Donor-Focused Development
Each donor is different-unique-and, therefore, each donor must be cultivated differently, using different techniques, skills and benefits.
Understanding each person’s motivations enables us to identify their needs and ultimately, to ask them for a gift that is meaningful and appropriate (extraordinary).

7. Moves Management
Each contact with the donor is an opportunity to learn more about their needs and interests and to move the relationship forward in a positive way.
We need to determine where the person is in the gift-giving cycle (readiness to give) and where we want to move them next.

8. Prospect research/management is critical to moves management
Prospect research helps us:
Prioritize
Strategize
primary players
interests
where they are in gift-giving cycle, next move
Track our progress

9. Major Donor Cultivation Cycle
Qualify
Identify
Find initial information
Estimate initial capability
Major gifts
Holding area for
suggested names
Strategy
How to involve prospect
Get to know prospect:
interests
capability
Stewardship
Keep donor informed
Keep donor interested
feed back
loop
MPS
Zoo Friends
and Members
Cultivation
Recognition
Involve prospect
Volunteer solicitor
Determine Zoo interests
Determine ask amount
“Background” vs.
“Foreground” Moves
Thank donor
Naming opportunities
Campaign events
(groundbreaking, press
announcements)
Campaign listing
Plaques
Solicitation
Specific amount
Specific project

10. Major Gift Cultivation Cycle
Five I’s (G. T. Smith)
Identification
Information
Interest
Involvement
Investment

11. Major Gift Cultivation Cycle
Dunlop’s Version
Identification
Information
Awareness
Knowledge
Caring
Involvement
Commitment

12. Case Study
Creating a prospect and moves management system for the Saint Louis Zoo’s major gifts program and our Zoo 2004 campaign.
Getting started
Key information
Keeping track
Strategic planning

13. Identify your prospects for major gifts & moves management
Your members and other contributors
Board members
Volunteers
Contributors to other organizations
People with assets and influence in your community
Data screening service

14. Qualify (Prioritize or Rate) Your Prospects
Readiness
Capability

15. Rating System: Saint Louis Zoo
Readiness/Involvement:
A Very involved. Minimal cultivation
needed.
B Somewhat involved. Some cultivation
C Minimal or no known involvement

16. Prospect Rating: Saint Louis Zoo
Readiness
Board membership
Volunteer activity
Event attendance
Gifts to your organization
Gifts to organizations with similar mission
Relationship to you or others who can influence a gift.

17. Prospect Rating: Saint Louis Zoo
Capability (Maximum Potential Gift)
1 $500,000+
2 $100,000 - $499,999
3 Less than $100,000
4 Unknown

18. Prospect Rating: Saint Louis Zoo
Capability for Major Gifts
3% of estimated net worth
20 times consistent annual gift
Up to 10% of annual income

19. Prospect Rating: Saint Louis Zoo
Estimating Net Worth
10 x salary
4 x real estate holdings
Selling price of company x holdings x 25% to 50%
Estate x 60% x portion of estate = inheritance

20. Prospect Rating: Saint Louis Zoo
External Rating with Volunteers
Verify internal (staff) rating and research
Identify primary players and connections
Identify donors’ interests and needs
Identify volunteers!

21. Moving on to Moves Management
Strategy
Prioritize the prospect pool
Top down, inside out
Meet with primary players
Who can most influence a gift?
Determine next move
Where is the donor in the gift-giving cycle (readiness)?
Where do they need to go next?

22. Next Move
SUSPECT
Where they are in the gift-giving cycle (readiness to give): may have interest in giving
Move: need to qualify, do further research, invite to a campaign event or dinner

23. Next Move
PROSPECT
Where they are in the gift-giving cycle (readiness to give): qualified prospect
Move: explore needs and interests, e.g. invite for tour of the Zoo

24. Next Move POTENTIAL DONOR
Where they are in the gift-giving cycle (readiness to give): has an interest in giving
Move: present case and ask, e.g. invite for lunch and presentation

25. Next Move
DONOR
Where they are in the gift-giving cycle (readiness to give): has given.
Move: build relationship and involvement, reinforce decision to give.

26. Managing the Moves - Key Indicators
Cultivation or Proposal Status
Action Steps or Ticklers
Rating
Solicitors or Key Players

27. Managing the Moves - Key Reports
Volunteer & Staff Tickler Reports
Monthly Status Reports
Number & Type of Actions Completed
Number of Gifts Received, Avg. Gift, Yield
Rating & Status Report
Progress Toward Goal

28. Managing the Moves - Tools for Strategic Planning
Once you these key indicators, you can use this information for planning:
How many steps, on average, does it take to secure a gift?
What is the average amount given?
How many actions or solicitations can a development officer complete in a year? How many will it take to reach our goal?

29. Managing the Moves - Tools for Strategic Planning
(continued)
Do we need more staff? Or volunteers?
Who are our most effective solicitors?
Which prospects are yielding the best gifts?
Were our ratings accurate?
Which prospects should we focus on next?

30. “Group” Moves Management
Applying strategies to groups of prospects can also be effective, for example:
Civic Progress
Trustees
Next 100
Cover and Close
Home Stretch

31. “Group” Moves Management
Key Indicators
Prospect Priority Classification
Trustee
1st priority, 2nd priority and so on
Proposal Type
2nd gift
Proposal Deadline

32. Case Study - Individual Prospect
Qualify
Identify
Find initial information
Estimate initial capability
Major gifts
Holding area for
suggested names
Strategy
How to involve prospect
Get to know prospect:
interests
capability
Stewardship
Keep donor informed
Keep donor interested
feed back
loop
MPS
Zoo Friends
and Members
Cultivation
Recognition
Involve prospect
Volunteer solicitor
Determine Zoo interests
Determine ask amount
“Background” vs.
“Foreground” Moves
Thank donor
Naming opportunities
Campaign events
(groundbreaking, press
announcements)
Campaign listing
Plaques
Solicitation
Specific amount
Specific project

33. Moves Management - Conclusion
Effective for Managing Major Gift Prospects or Groups of Major Gift Prospects (and Staff and Volunteers!)
Requires Thoughtful Strategy and Effective System for Tracking Key Information
Requires Discipline - For Updating, Maintaining & Reviewing Information
Requires Research & Development Officer Cooperation

34. Credits
The Stelter Company, Skills Plus Relationship Building Workshop
David R. Dunlop, “Special Concerns of Major Gift Fundraising.”
Steve Wilkerson, Pierpont & Wilkerson