The Essential Major Donor Toolkit: A Guide for Nonprofits Pursuing a Major Donor Strategy

By Jonathan Poisner

When I was hired as Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV) in late 1996, I had never raised a dime. The board probably shouldn’t have hired me.

Yet, they did. And it became quickly apparent that fundraising was Job One. OLCV had just two permanent employees at the time (me and a half-time office assistant), along with one other employee on a short-term contract for the legislative session. In contrast, I had big ambitions for the group to become a force on behalf of clean air, clean water, and a healthier environment. I knew that would take money. A lot more.

And so I just threw myself into fundraising. I got myself training. I read books on the topic. I forced myself to stretch outside my comfort zone to call donors and meet with them in-person. I worked with the board (which was thankfully open to it) to play their part.

It worked. The organization grew. I did some things clearly right and others that, in hindsight, I grimace to think I did.

At various points over the next decade, I received further training and more than once I found myself having markedly more success as a fundraiser based on applying the lessons I learned.

I left OLCV a dozen years after I started having grown its budget 10-fold, with a staff of 10. We were not a large organization, but we’d made the transition to “medium sized” based on a relentless focus on building relationships with and securing donations from individuals.

Since I left OLCV, I’ve worked as an organizational development consultant, with a focus on strategic planning and fundraising. As a consultant, I’ve learned even more about fundraising from talking with dozens of nonprofit fundraising professionals working in the trenches to hear their stories and review data.

This book is my attempt to succinctly lay out what it takes for any small or medium sized nonprofit to systematically pursue major gifts from individuals. I hope it proves to be a worthwhile companion to my other E-book, Why Organizations Thrive: Lessons from the Frontlines for Nonprofit Executive Directors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jonathan Poisner
• Release date: Oct 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005697099

Jonathan Poisner

Jonathan Poisner has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.Since fall 2009, Poisner has worked as an independent organizational development consultant, with a focus on strategic planning, fundraising, communications, coalition building, and other organizational development challenges. Poisner also works as an Executive Coach for leaders who’re looking for ongoing leadership development feedback from a seasoned professional.In 1997, Jonathan became Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and its sister organization, OLCV Education Fund. During his twelve years leading OLCV, he grew the combined revenue of OLCV and OLCV Education Fund from $200,000 to $1.1 million per year.During his tenure, OLCV’s staff grew from just one and a half full time employees to more than 11 FTE, while dramatically increasing its capacity to involve thousands of volunteers in its work. During his tenure, OLCV’s electoral program defeated more than a dozen anti-environment elected officials and helped elect many more environmental champions to office.Jonathan also led the Oregon Conservation Network to develop shared priorities.“Priorities for a Healthy Oregon” raised the bar in the Oregon Legislature — helping pass new laws that promote renewable energy, recycle electronic waste, protect farmland, and safeguard clean water.Jonathan served on the founding board of the Federation of State Conservation Voter Leagues, where he was a strong voice for growing state LCVs. From 2007- 2009, Jonathan was elected to serve on the boards of the League of Conservation Voters and LCV Education Fund.Jonathan holds dual degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He has a JD from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley.Prior to his tenure at OLCV, he practiced law as an associate attorney at the law firm of Arnold & Porter, served as Environmental Law Fellow at Lewis & Clark Law School, worked as an Adjunct Law Professor, and served on the regional staff of the Sierra Club.

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The Essential Major Donor Toolkit

By Jonathan Poisner

Copyright 2020 Jonathan Poisner

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Why Organizations Thrive: Lessons from the Frontlines for Nonprofit Executive Directors

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Table of Contents

Introduction

How to use this Toolkit

Chapter 1: The Major Donor Cycle

Chapter 2: The Major Donor Mindset

Chapter 3: Major Donor Stories – the Case

Chapter 4: Donor Identification

Chapter 5: Cultivation

Chapter 6: Solicitation

Chapter 7: Stewardship

Chapter 8: Teamwork

Chapter 9: Planning and databases

Chapter 10: Integration of Major Donor Fundraising with other Fundraising

Chapter 11: Major Donor Fundraising Amidst a Pandemic

Appendix A: Objections to Meetings and Potential Responses

Introduction

When I was hired as Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV) in late 1996, I had never raised a dime. The board probably shouldn’t have hired me.

Yet, they did. And it became quickly apparent that fundraising was Job 1. OLCV had just two permanent employees at the time (me and a half-time office assistant), along with one other employee on a short-term contract for the legislative session. In contrast, I had big ambitions for the group to become a force on behalf of clean air, clean water, and a healthier environment. I knew that would take money. A lot more.

And so I just threw myself into fundraising. I got myself training. I read books on the topic. I forced myself to stretch outside my comfort zone to call donors and meet with them in-person. I worked with the board (which was thankfully open to it) to play their part.

It worked. The organization grew. I did some things clearly right and others that, in hindsight, I grimace to think I did.

At various points over the next decade, I received further training and more than once I found myself having markedly more success as a fundraiser based on applying the lessons I learned.

I left OLCV a dozen years after I started having grown its budget 10-fold, with a staff of 10. We were not a large organization, but we’d made the transition to medium sized based on a relentless focus on building relationships with and securing donations from individuals.

Since I left OLCV, I’ve worked as an organizational development consultant, with a focus on strategic planning and fundraising. As a consultant, I’ve learned even more about fundraising from talking with dozens of nonprofit fundraising professionals working in the trenches to hear their stories and review data.

This book is my attempt to succinctly lay out what it takes for any small or medium sized nonprofit to systematically pursue major gifts from individuals. I hope it proves to be a worthwhile companion to my other E-book, Why Organizations Thrive: Lessons from the Frontlines for Nonprofit Executive Directors.

As always with my writing, I welcome feedback. If you have suggestions for improvements to this Toolkit, please email [e-mail].

How to Use this Toolkit

The Essential Major Donor Toolkit was created to serve as a short guide for organizations wishing to expand their success raising funds from individual major donors.

This begs the immediate question: what is a major donor? The answer will vary for each organization. This toolkit generally identifies a major donor as follows: someone giving to an organization at a level that is large enough to justify the time spent to personally solicit them one-on-one, preferably in-person. For many smaller organizations, that figure could be as low as $250 or $500. For medium sized organizations, that figure is likely $1,000 or more. For bigger, national organizations that figure could be as high as $10,000.

The primary audience for this toolkit is organizations who already have made an effort to individually solicit some major donors, but who seek to step up their game. With that said, it should have value to organizations who’re just beginning to do so.

The toolkit begins with three introductory topics. The first describes the cycle of major donor fundraising. The second describes the stories that should form the backbone of an organization’s case to major donors. The third describes the mindset of an effective major donor program.

The next four chapters represent key steps in the cycle: identification, cultivation and engagement, solicitation, and stewardship. Solicitation is by far the longest chapter since that stage in the cycle represents the biggest challenge for many nonprofits.

The last four chapters represent additional critical topics: teamwork, planning and databases, integration of major donor fundraising with other strategies, and most timely as of summer 2020 – adjusting your strategies during COVID-19 or a future pandemic.

While this Toolkit aims to cover all the topics a small or medium sized organization should think seriously about in ramping up their efforts with major donors, it does not comprehensively cover each topic. Doing so would turn the Toolkit into a full-length book.

Through the Toolkit, where possible, Tips are provided as