Why Mid-Level Programs Are Essential to Your Fundraising Strategy

Over the last 16 years and assessing over 1,000 donor files, it turns out that having a robust, managed mid‑level program with a mid‑level rep is perhaps the most important strategy you could have for your fundraising program.

Why do I say this?

What we have found over that period is only 0.2 to 1.2 % of donors, on average, move from mid‑level to major gifts. But now that we have years of data, we are finding that with a relationship‑based mid‑level program, 3 to 4 % of the donor file moves into major gifts.

That is very significant.

Fundraising leaders often lament, “We need to grow our major donor program, and we don’t have the donors.” And I say, “YES, you do—all sitting there in mid‑level.”

For our clients who have been with us for several years, every one of them I can attribute a large percentage of their major gift growth to major donors coming from the mid‑level program.

So, if any non‑profit leader asks me if they should start a mid‑level program, I tell them it’s not a question anymore—you just do it. It’s proven to grow your net revenue, not only for mid‑level but, most importantly, for major gifts.

And not only is it a sound revenue‑generating and cultivation strategy, internally for your development team, it’s one of the best ways to finally break down your departmental silos and bring together direct‑response, membership, major gifts, and planned giving teams—and sit down at the table to discuss how you are moving donors through your donor pipeline.

Within the development team, too many organizations have a breakdown in communications, KPIs that don’t promote collaboration, and they fall into processes and structures that are organizationally centered and not donor-centered. In other words, over time, non‑profits think about what is best for them and not their donors.

They don’t think about how to make it easy for donors to give to their hearts’ content. Instead, they create (unintentionally) barriers along the donor pipeline, which creates all sorts of clogs along the way.

But when you develop a mid‑level program, by its very nature it brings together everyone in the organization to understand how you are going to move donors from the direct response program through to major and planned giving.

People often ask me, “How do you actually make that happen?” My answer is always the same: “You literally bring all leaders of each department within development and outside development to sit at the table together and talk about what you are trying to accomplish with mid‑level.” This inevitably leads to discussion on how we are helping donors move through the pipeline and what are the barriers we have up preventing them from doing that.

Creating a relationship‑based mid‑level program will not only boost net revenue and create more donors for your major gift program, but it will help you bring your organization together, break down those silos, and start practicing a culture of philanthropy.

What’s holding you back?

Jeff