The larger-capacity donor can be a different breed than your regular monthly partner. Most tend to give larger "special gift" amounts (via check) and don't tend to commit to any regular, recurring giving (i.e. monthly). They're efficient in how they spend their time with you and are interested in hearing how this investment will impact the Kingdom and, after the gift, interested in their ROI or "return on investment."
Example from the field: We have a large donor (who has now given the most out of anyone) who at first said no. They think differently. They wanted to see us get closer to finishing our support goal before they gave. They got joy out of being the hero that put us across the finish line. They wanted to hear from God and see God do crazy things as they gave crazy amounts.
Fundraising guru Jerold Panas literally wrote the book on large donor fund development. *His book, “Asking,” is still one of the best ones out there. Here are a few key concepts from his lifetime of fundraising among large-capacity donors.
- Do your homework before the meeting.
- Schedule a quick meeting on their turf.
- Listen your way to the gift.
- You're not asking for money, you're offering opportunities to invest in something they care about.
- If the donor is aloof or difficult to get a hold of, ask for advice.
- Encourage them to pray about it.
- After the gift: Thank, Share, Connect, Offer.
Additional resources:
- National Christian Foundation info on non-cash gifts and donor-directed funds. *Sign up for their e-newsletter.
- Generous Giving helps you disciple your donor toward joyful generosity.
- Generosity talk by Tim Keller
- Win, Keep and Lift Major Donors. Article by Support Raising Solutions
4 Comments
Keva Ambre
Notes from NCF webinar:
Engaging high-capacity givers.
Keva Ambre
Build a tribe: The Legacy Team
Keva Ambre
In the "Thank, Show, Connect, Offer" cycle, the "Show" step can be especially desirable feedback for your higher-capacity givers. Showing how their giving is making an impact reflects their ROI, or Return on Investment. Many higher-capacity givers will give a smaller amount at first. This is part of their due-diligence; the process of discerning if this investment will yield favorable returns. Don't think of this as an evaluation of you! It's quite the opposite: the heart-desire underneath this discernment is to be a wise and faithful steward of what God has given them. The weight of knowing what they should do with their giving is heavy. There are few, if any, who they can trust to tell them the plain truth. Ask the Lord to show you how to engage some of your higher-capacity people in meaningful ways. Then make a plan to do it throughout the year.
For more on showing supporters their impact, check out the "Show" section on the Annual Stewardship Plan & Timeline page.
Ashley Ramirez
This page was checked and revised for the 2023 Language Change Project on 6/13/23 -A.R.