Making big gifts is most often a function of age. The older you are, the more capable you tend to be of making a major gift. It’s perhaps one of the few areas where it’s more beneficial to be older rather than younger.

The Donor Bill of Rights – Right Number 3 – Donors have the right to have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements. You can access the full Donor Bill of Rights here – https://afpglobal.org/donor-bill-rights.

The Donor Bill of Rights – Right Number 4 – Donors have the right to be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given. You can access the full Donor Bill of Rights here – https://afpglobal.org/donor-bill-rights.

The Donor Bill of Rights – Right Number 8 – Donors have the right to be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors You can access the full Donor Bill of Rights here – https://afpglobal.org/donor-bill-rights.

Having prospect meetings on the calendar drives the right activity and strategy in preparation. So often fundraisers and nonprofit leaders think they need the right materials or strategy first before scheduling a meeting, which very often results in unnecessary delays and endless talking. It’s far better to have a less perfectly designed proposal or presentation deck and complete a visit than to let another day pass without a meeting.

The Donor Bill of Rights – Right Number 9 – Donors have the right to have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share. You can access the full Donor Bill of Rights here – https://afpglobal.org/donor-bill-rights.

The Donor Bill of Rights – Right Number 10 – Donors have the right to feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers. You can access the full Donor Bill of Rights here – https://afpglobal.org/donor-bill-rights.

Relationship mapping, the identification of connections and relationships between individuals and organizations, is extremely helpful to building out proper strategies and approaches to prospective donors. Understanding the connections (or lack of connection) of prospective donors to your organization can make a huge difference.

Encourage people to set the right example with a gift of their own to lead the way.

Personal and personalized invitations to join or participate in some activity is the preferred method. Making people feel special is the goal. Whenever possible, avoid the impersonal and generic outreach.

Writing a strong letter of inquiry (LOI) to a foundation seeking their permission to submit a full proposal is a skill that every fundraiser needs to master.

Hospitality is often a focus of great fundraisers when it comes to any donor event and activity. The ability to create an environment where donors feel welcomed, appreciated, and inspired takes effort and forethought. Staging, food and beverage selection, music choice, the agenda, speakers, and so much more go into every donor event.

Professional patience is not natural to many people but so important to the five tool fundraiser. Giving oneself time to develop experience and expertise across many areas, advancing in responsibility and title with an organization, and giving the organization you work for the best of yourself for a sufficient amount of time to build relationships and positively impact and advance the mission of the organization is vital.