March 28, 2017

Have You Made an Investment in Major Gift Fundraising?

Yes, it does cost time and money to raise major gifts, but the investment pays well when it is matched with great fundraising strategies. Still, many organizations struggle with the concept of spending the money necessary to identify, cultivate, solicit and appreciate major gift donors.

Following are tips to make sure your investment in major gift fundraising is spent wisely.

Show passion and sincerity
A solicitation at the major gift level should be personal, relational and specific. Your passion for the organization and its mission is essential. Major gift donors want to be part of something great. Often, a good part of a major gift strategy involves "not asking." Find ways to show you care about the donor's support without asking for anything in return.

Listen to listen
If you are in a hurry to tell a prospective donor why they need to support the organization, then it is very probable that you are not truly listening. You might be listening to figure out what you will say next. Remain genuinely engaged, and take time to ask open-ended questions: "How did you first get involved with the organization? What drew you to us?" Ask questions that require you to listen, and then challenge yourself to really listen.

Find common ground
If you are sincere in your passion for the organization, and if you really listen to your donors, you are very likely to hear something that truly resonates. Follow that thread of discussion to a natural and specific ask that is tailored and unique to the individual and their values.

No doubt, raising major gifts for your organization will take more time - and, therefore, more money - to identify, cultivate and solicit. However, if done intentionally and strategically, an investment in major gift fundraising will reap extraordinary rewards.

Join Us on the Growing Philanthropy Tour

Next stops on the road to achieving Hartsook's mission of growing philanthropy by 25 percent in the next 20 years:

Chicago
March 28, 2017
National School Foundation Association Conference
Thinking Big (Even if Your Nonprofit is Small):
Major Gifts and Legacy Giving
Lead Roundtable: Karin Cox

Kansas City
April 2-5, 2017
Association of Fundraising Professionals Mid-America Chapter
Demystifying Capital Campaigns
Matthew J. Beem

Kansas City
April 4, 2017
Association of Jewish Aging Services
Demystifying Capital Campaigns
Matthew J. Beem

Kansas City
April 4, 2017
AFP Mid-America Chapter Rapid Fire Consulting
Karin Cox
Bud Cooper

French Lick, Ind.
April 5-7, 2017
Boy Scouts of America
2017 Central Region All Hands Conference

San Francisco
April 30 - May 2, 2017
AFP International Fundraising Conference
Successful Fundraising Events: Just What Does It Take to Be Best in Class
Adrian Sargeant

Dallas
May 10-12, 2017
Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Conference
Relationship Fundraising 2.0
Adrian Sargeant

London
May 23-24, 2017
Third Sector's Annual Fundraising Conference
Thinking Outside the Box: Everything You Wanted to Know about Donor Behaviour
Adrian Sargeant

Houston
June 9, 2017
AFP Houston Chapter
Adrian Sargeant

New Orleans
June 15, 2017
New Orleans Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference
Adrian Sargeant

London
July 4, 2017
IoF Fundraising Convention 2017
Great Fundraising Events
Adrian Sargeant

Richmond, Va.
July 19-20, 2017
Virginia Fund Raising Institute
Innovating Philanthropy
Karin Cox
John Warren
Presenting Sponsor: Hartsook

Tulsa
August 2, 2017
Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Massive Fundraising
Adrian Sargeant

Oklahoma City
August 2017
Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
Relationship Building: Where Do We Go From Here?
Adrian Sargeant

New Orleans
August 24-26, 2017
Top Hands
Boy Scouts of America
Matthew J. Beem
Ross Pfannenstiel

Scotland, U.K.
October 23-25, 2017
Alan Clayton Associates
Great Fundraising Masterclass
Adrian Sargeant

Scotland, U.K.
February 7-9, 2018
Alan Clayton Associates
Great Fundraising Masterclass

Past Stops on the Tour

Resources for Smart Fundraising Available on Kindle

Keep up to date on the latest fundraising trends with the Kindle ASR Media collection:

• Reality Fundraising - Ideas, insights and lessons learned through hundreds of best practices from nonprofit professionals nationwide by Bob Hartsook
  
• Fundraising Leadership - The definitive source for empowering board members to become pro-active fundraising leaders by Karin L. Cox
  
• Getting Your Ducks in a Row - A tool box of strategies for effective campaign fundraising by Bob Hartsook
  
• Million Dollar Gifts - Real-life stories of million-dollar gifts that will amaze and inspire your fundraising by Bob Hartsook
  
• Closing that Gift - "29 secrets" to closing a gift and avoiding the top 10 solicitation mistakes by Bob Hartsook
  
• Performance-Driven Fundraising - Handy, yet entertaining reference tool for new and seasoned fundraisers by Matthew J. Beem
  
• Nobody Wants to Give Money Away! - Stories, humor and more than two decades of fundraising experience in which Bob explores the nine fundraising truths essential to success by Bob Hartsook
  
• On The Money! - An enlightening collection of success stories and lessons learned from nonprofit fundraising campaigns nationwide by Bob Hartsook
• $231 Billion Raised and Counting - by Bob Hartsook, Matthew J. Beem, Karin Cox and over a dozen Hartsook consultants and clients. Hartsook shares stories and "Strategies for Success" that will educate and inspire

Book Deal of the Month

On The Money! (ASR Media) is an enlightening collection of success stories and lessons learned from 25 nonprofit fundraising campaigns nationwide. Click here to order On the Money! for a special price of $10 (plus shipping and handling).

On the Web

	Blogs and articles. President and CEO Matthew J. Beem and Founder and Chairman Bob Hartsook regularly share simple, but powerful messages about philanthropy, fundraising and the power of relationships.
	Timely Tips and Tweets! Follow us on Twitter at HartsookTips for tips and giveaways.
	Facebook: Become a Fan and a Friend. Fundraising tips, event photos, news and updates - see what's new at Hartsook by becoming a fan of us on Facebook. Friend Hartsook Founder and Chair Bob Hartsook, CEO Matthew J. Beem, and Chief Creative Officer Karin Cox for even more updates!

Strategies for Success explores smart ideas, connecting with thousands of fundraising professionals. We welcome your best practices contributions or comments. Send to Strategies for Success editor Karin Cox, [email protected]. If you'd like a free subscription to Strategies for Success or its monthly companion, eHartsook on Philanthropy, contact [email protected].

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