The Timothy Group

The Fat Boy in the Canoe

Most major donors will consider a leadership gift in the range of 10 percent to15 percent of the total campaign goal. This is a good rule of thumb to follow when rating a donor to determine the gift amount you should request. Some executive directors and development officers new to major donor world get really excited about finding a new prospect that could "write a check for the whole campaign." While a major donor might have the capacity to underwrite your entire project, he or she probably won't, unless they have an unusually close relationship to your organization. Major donors became major donors by making wise business decisions. They approach giving with the same diligence.

It's really a rookie move to ask for "the whole enchilada." When I served as a foundation director, I consulted with a ministry that was seeking to launch a $2 million campaign. I assisted the new development director with foundation research to discover  possible grant

Thanks, But No Thanks

A major donor looked the new executive director in the eyes, pointed his finger, and scolded, "Don't ever forget to thank your donors." Wow, that should get your attention. The donor had given a sizeable gift, and unfortunately the former director had neglected to say, "Thanks."

Forget your keys, forget your mother's birthday, even forget your anniversary, but don't forget to thank your donors. Ten lepers were healed, but only one returned to thank Jesus for His wonderful gift. Evidently, the other nine were too busy enjoying their new lives to show their appreciation. Not much has changed. Genuine thankfulness still seems rare. When it comes to your relationships with donors, you can't thank them too much.

Thankfulness can take many forms: a handwritten note, a personal phone call, or maybe a small gift of appreciation. Perhaps you've heard this fundraising proverb, "Thank the donor seven times before asking for another gift." That's a good rule of thumb, but how do you do it? Here are 10 thank you tips. Remember to thank your donors!

Let's Build Something Together

You've probably heard Gene Hackman pitch your local Lowe's Home Improvement center with his inviting phrase, "Let's Build Something Together." That's an encouraging thought for those do-it-yourselfers who might be a little uncertain about tackling a home improvement project by themselves. It's also a great approach to major donors.

Jerusalem was in ruins. Its walls had been destroyed making the Israelites vulnerable to their enemies. Enter Nehemiah (1:1-2:9). He wanted to make a difference, but he was 900 miles away and lacked resources. So he did the only thing he could—pray. His prayer wasn't a bland 'bless the missionaries.' He shed tears, fasted, and pleaded with God for four months. His answer came in the form of a major donor. Nehemiah's example teaches us seven important principles about major donor development.

1. Personal Relationship

   Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes weren't equals, but they were friends. They were close enough that the king noticed that something was troubling Nehemiah. How well do you know your top 25 major donors? Have you spent enough time with them to move from a casual acquaintance to an intimate friend? Do you know their struggles with work, health, or children? Can they sense when you are carrying a heavy burden? The conventional wisdom when in the presence of kings and donors is, 'put on a happy face.' Yet, you should be close enough to some of your key donors that they can see your heart.

Building Major Relationships

Major donors give to people they know and trust. The more confidence they have in you and your ministry, the more likely it is that your organization will rise to the top of their giving list. Cultivation comes in two phases. Before a donor makes an initial gift, your strategy is to introduce new friends to your ministry. After a donor gives, your goal is to turn these new friends into good friends, and ultimately good friends into best friends as they increase their level of commitment. Here are some before-gift and after-gift cultivation suggestions:

Before a Gift

• Communicate

  • Personally visit them in their home or office.
  • Write brief handwritten notes.
  • Make personal phone calls and send personal emails.

• Educate

  • Mail your newsletter in a special envelope with first class postage.
  • Show your promotional DVD in their home or office.
  • Hand deliver your organization's Annual Report.

Big Rock Fundraising

In his book, First Things First, Steven Covey shares a story about a seminar instructor who used some simple props (an empty jar and a few rocks) to illustrate his point about setting priorities. "How many rocks do you think will fit into this jar?" the instructor asked. After a few guesses from the audience, he began to carefully place one by one as many rocks as he could into the jar. When he got to the top, he asked, "Is the jar full?"

"Yes!" someone in the audience responded.

The instructor then brought out a bucket of gravel and began to pour it into the jar, stopping occasionally to shake the gravel into every available space between the bigger rocks. "Is the jar full?"

Now the audience was catching on and someone replied, "Probably not."

"Good," he responded as he reached for a bucket of sand and began to dump it into the jar shifting it back and forth until every crevice was filled. "Is the jar full now?"

Major Lessons for Reaching Major Donors

All of us in the business of discipling stewards (Fund Raising) need to have a strategy for reaching major donors in our comprehensive stewardship program. Bigger dollars add up faster, hence major donor work is very fruitful and exciting. Let me briefly share a few basic principles that should be in place for you to achieve maximum results.

No plan...no results:

Yogi Berra said it best, "If you don't know where you are going you will probably end up someplace else." A good major donor program is well designed, relationally driven strategy that can add immediate and future dollars to your ministry.

Exodus 25...a major donor program that worked

Moses identified those who could help him raise funds for the tabernacle. Quickly review the first elements requested in the project: gold, silver, bronze. I believe that came from major donors from within the camp. Moses and Aaron worked from the top down to complete the first capital project mentioned in the scriptures.

The Major Gift Ask Process in a Capital Campaign

The model for a capital campaign directs that two-thirds or more of the dollars received and committed will typically come from the top 110 investors. While that number may vary slightly, the model of one-thirds is the beginning point:

1. 1/3 of the dollars should come from the top ten gifts.
2. The next 1/3 should come from the next 100 gifts.
3. The final 1/3 from the remaining donors.

A campaign with this structure will typically take sixteen months to complete.

Identification of major gift prospects begins with the personal and telephone interviews in the Pre-Campaign Study .

When the study supports a campaign, but does not demonstrate the potential for the model of one-thirds, the model can be changed to reflect the study results. For example, if the top ten demonstrates a capability for 20% of the dollars and the next one hundred 30%, the resulting campaign model will place a responsibility of 50% of the dollars to come from the small gifts of the larger donor population. This can still result in accomplishing the campaign goals, however, it will require a longer period of time. A campaign with this structure may take from 24 to 36 months to complete.