in non-profits today, leaders think that board members should just know what they are supposed to do and be for the organization. That is clearly a mistake.
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Major Gift Officers are coming up against an avalanche of non-profit leaders who are putting extreme pressure on their staff to seek out transactional gifts and forego building relationships with donors. I know you feel the pressure, but do not allow non-profit leaders who don’t understand what major gifts is all about to change how you are doing your good work.
You don’t have to be a small organization to be great at major gift fundraising; you just have to “think small.”
If you are a leader or manager, we urge you to rethink how you run your major gift program. MGOs need support to do what they do best: form relationships with donors, understand donors’ passions and interests and match it up to all your programs, and develop great offers and inspire the donor to support them.
There are too many non-profit fundraising leaders who just don’t value good non-profit management. I don’t think it’s because they are bad people or they wouldn’t like good management. I think they are good people and they would love great management – but they just don’t DO it.
We firmly believe that the greatest source of revenue growth for non-profits in the next decade is going to come through improved management and the execution of major gift strategies
Organizations that are donor-centered and honoring of their people are successful. Those just going after the money are the ones hanging by a thread.
MGOs often leave non-profits because they hit a salary cap or they don’t have a way to grow and be rewarded without having to promote them. What can you do?
Don’t be afraid to speak out to your colleagues at your non-profit about the value of your major gifts program. How will they know otherwise?
Non-profits whose leaders understand donors as part of their mission will thrive in the coming decades. Those that don’t will struggle to be relevant.
