What to do Once Your Major Gifts Program is Set Up
In our last piece, we talked about what it actually takes to build a major gifts program that can deliver meaningful revenue.
On paper, it looks something like this. You need a pool of donors that is much larger than your end goal, and a plan to move people from interest to deeper engagement over time.
That’s the part that often feels daunting. Because most small teams don’t have a list of 100 or 200 qualified prospective donors sitting in their database.
Before we get into what to do next, it’s worth pausing for a second. If your data, your priorities, and your plan are not clear yet, go back and start there. Everything that follows will be much easier if those pieces are in place.
You can read that here: Where to Actually Start with Major Gifts
Once that groundwork is there, the question becomes:
How do you actually start building that pipeline?
It starts with conversations.
Start with the donors you already have
If you have donors giving at a higher level, even if that is five people giving $1,000 a year, that is where your major gifts work begins.
Pick one and reach out. Ask if they would be open to a short call. You might say something like, “I would really value hearing what drew you to our work and what has kept you connected.”
That’s it.
Sometimes those conversations are quick and straightforward. Someone tells you they came to an event a few years ago and never forgot it. Someone else says they have been quietly following your updates and finally felt ready to give. Another person might tell you they are not as connected as they once were.
All of that is useful. It gives you a clearer sense of what’s landing and what isn’t, and that’s hard to get any other way.
Listen for what people actually care about
It can feel counterintuitive to spend time on conversations when there is pressure to raise more money. But skipping this step usually makes things harder.
When you take the time to listen, patterns start to show up. You hear what people repeat. You notice what they care about and how they describe your work in their own words.
That kind of insight is what strengthens your fundraising over time. And sometimes the conversation opens a door.
A donor might say, “You should meet my colleague, they would be really interested in this.” Or “I have a friend who has been looking for something like this to support.”
You’re not asking for an introduction so you can turn around and make a pitch. You’re simply being invited into another conversation.
That is how a pipeline begins to grow in a way that feels natural.
If one-on-one is not realistic, create a way to gather people
For many small teams, there isn’t enough time to meet with everyone individually. In that case, a small cultivation event can be a useful way to bring people together.
This doesn’t need to be complicated. A one-hour virtual session is often enough. It’s easier for people to say yes when they don’t have to travel or rearrange their whole day.
What matters most is who shows up.
If you have a board member who can invite a few people, or a volunteer who is willing to bring along colleagues or friends, that’s where these events start to work. Without that, they tend to fizzle out.
Your role is to make it worth their time
If others are helping bring people into the room, your job is to make the experience feel worthwhile.
Talk about your work in a way that is clear and grounded. Help people understand what is happening and why it matters right now. Share something concrete that they can connect to.
After the event, follow up with a short note, conversation, or a question about what stood out to them. Some people will want to stay connected, and some will not.
What you are doing is building a group of people who understand your work and want to stay close to it.
This is how a program starts to take shape
At this stage, your major gifts work might feel fairly simple:
- A few conversations each month.
- A couple of introductions.
- Maybe a small event every so often.
It may not look like a formal program yet, and that is okay. Because what you are doing is building relationships on purpose. Over time, those relationships become the foundation for larger gifts.
What to do next
If you’ve done the foundational work, start by reaching out to the donors on your list to have a few conversations. Pay attention to what you’re hearing and follow up thoughtfully.
This is what moves major gifts forward.
