Did your heart skip a beat when you read the title of this blog post? I hope so, because Richard and I, along with all our good colleagues at Veritus, have discovered the next big thing for major gift magic.
It’s called… executing the plan!
Oh, you’ve heard of it? Good, because it’s used pretty rarely in our industry. That’s why I’m saying it is the next big thing.
We have found that if non-profits focus on executing a major gift fundraising strategic plan, they do phenomenally well. So well, we’ve collected a number of results from organizations that are doing great (here is a link).
Phenomenally well looks like this:

1. Sustained revenue growth of over 10-20% year after year.
2. Donor value attrition rates for managed caseloads in the 5-10% range.
3. Leadership that embraces major gift fundraising.
4. Multi-departmental involvement in major gifts, because they are working on building a culture of philanthropy.
5. New caseload returns on investment (ROIs) going from 3:1 to 8:1 in three years.
6. Established caseload ROIs in the 10:1 to 15:1 range.
7. Building solid major donor relationships by providing outstanding donor service and care.

Your non-profit’s major gift program could have these kinds of results too. It’s within reach… but it’s a matter of actually working the plan that you have set forth, and keeping yourself accountable to it.
I think that in almost every situation where we have encountered a foundering major gift program, it all comes down to whether or not the non-profit has the will and desire to execute their plan.
It’s not that the plans are all that bad… they just need to be dusted off your shelf and worked!
Many times when we have gone into the conference rooms of non-profits and presented our ideas about major gift success to leaders and managers, they get a little irritated with us. It’s because they are waiting for some “new idea” or something they have never heard of to get them excited about major gifts.
But when we ask if they are actually doing the hard work of qualifying donors, creating revenue goals and a strategic plan for every donor and then holding everyone accountable – the answer is usually a big, fat NO!
There is absolutely no reason to chase some new idea to be successful with major gifts. All you need to do is actually EXECUTE on the old idea of working your plan for every donor in your major gift portfolio.
Now, I know that it isn’t easy, but that is the secret to major gift fundraising success. It’s that day in and day out, “by an act of your will,” “it’s not sexy, but it has to be done,” type of work that wins the day… every day.
My advice, if you are not experiencing major gift success, is to figure out what is keeping you from executing your strategic plan. Maybe you’re distracted with other tasks, like admin work or events? Perhaps you are responsible for other fundraising jobs like the “annual fund” or planned giving in addition to major gift fundraising?
Or maybe you just don’t have anyone holding you accountable to the plan.
I will tell you that over all the years we’ve been doing this work, we’ve learned that EXECUTING your plan is the KEY to success. We have seen it over and over and over again. So, whatever it is that keeps you from executing the plan, it’s time to eliminate or add that thing so that you can do it.
Jeff
PS – If you need someone to come alongside you to help you with this execution and accountability, let me know. I’ll be glad to talk to you about how we can help.