Welcome back to the Major Gifts Challenge! If you’re unfamiliar with the Challenge, check out the introductory video here.

Let’s not sugarcoat it ... measuring impact can be hard. The issues we tackle in the nonprofit sector are challenging.

Fame and fortune can be yours—raise major gifts for your cause and you can be both RICH and FAMOUS!

Last week, GuideStar hosted a webinar called “How to Get Started Raising Major Gifts.” If you missed it, watch the replay here. One question was asked more than any other:

“How can we raise major gifts, if we don’t have a database full of donors?”

I recently spoke with Nancy, the development director of a small social service organization. Over a few minutes, she outlined for me the things she was called on to do in her job.

Nancy has a problem that you probably have too.

This might sound radical to many fundraisers, but here’s my top recommendation for 2017: Stop looking at how much you raise.

What would be possible if your whole organization supported a full-scale major gift fundraising program?

• You’d be able to raise tons of money to fund important projects and urgent expenses at your organization.
• You’d have a cadre of loyal, happy engaged major donors.
• Your board members would actually participate and open doors.

To be a major gifts fundraiser is to be like that iconic redheaded orphan, Annie. Tomorrow always looks better and it is only a day away. Just as we know the sun will come out tomorrow, you know that the gift will come…eventually. However, donors are much less predictable than the sun. They make decisions on timetables that work for them.

Your fundraising job never ends.  If you’re like most of us, you’re having a hard time keeping the donors you have.  Getting them to make larger gifts.  Finding new donors.
 
Here’s 5 tips to overcome your biggest fundraising challenges: