Apresentação sobre Grandes Doações, por Eva Aldrich, da CFRE, realizada durante o Festival ABCR 2017, em São Paulo, entre os dias 17 e 19 de maio de 2017.

1. Eva E. Aldrich, MA CAE (CFRE 2001-2016)
The Art and Science of Major Gifts

2. • “Don’t look for wealthy people and hope
some will become your friends. Rather,
look at your friends and hope that some of
them are wealthy.” (Heetland as quoted in
Sargeant, 2010)

3. What research tells us about giving
by high net worth individuals
• Most wealthy people give
• Entrepreneurs tend to give more than those who gain
their wealth in other ways
• Wealthy people give because they are asked, to give
back, to make a difference, reciprocity
• Wealthy people stop giving because they no longer feel
personally connected, decided to support other causes,
or were asked too frequently
• Hyperagency is an important part of what motivates
wealthy people to give—they want to be part of
transformational projects

4. The eight-step major gifts
management cycle (Developing Major Gifts, The Fund Raising School
at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, 2014)
Identify
Qualify
Develop
Strategy
Cultivate
Solicit &
Negotiate
Acknowledge/
Recognize
Steward
Renew

5. Identification—who might make a
big gift?
• Draw prospects from your existing base of donors
• Carefully review peer networks
• Identify members of the community who have the
ability to give
In identification, you are looking for donors who have
the financial resources to make a major gift

6. Qualification—who is likely to
make a big gift?
• Linkage, ability, and interest are key factors
• Prospect research important
• Electronic screening
• Publicly available information
• Peer screening
In qualification, you’re looking for individuals who
have the inclination to make a major gift to your
organization

7. Creation of donor strategy
• Strategy = a defined path toward a goal
• Fundraising’s goal = to build a strong relationship
with a donor
• One of the objectives of that relationship =
securing a major gift

8. Questions for donor strategy
development
• Who is your major donor?
• What do you know about the donor (giving history,
interests, relevant life information, prior engagement
with your organization)?
• How can you involve the donor more deeply in your
organization (events, communications, experiences,
values alignment)—and in the process get to know the
donor better?
• How will you deepen the donor’s linkage to your
organization? Who will be involved?
• What is the cultivation/solicitation timeline for the
donor?

9. Major gift cultivation—understand
that all donors are different

10. Questions for successful
cultivation
• What motivates your donor?
• Is your donor a thinker? A feeler? A doer?
• Is your donor an introvert or an extravert?
• What activities do they prefer?
• What communication preferences do they have?
• With whom do they like to spend time?
• Who makes the philanthropic decisions in the
family?

11. Important:
• Revisit and update your cultivation strategy as you
learn more about your donor!

12. Gift solicitation
• How do you feel about asking for gifts?

13. Structure for a successful
solicitation
• Start with some appropriate and pleasant small talk
• Move to a recap of why you’re here
• Talk about the project—focus on the things the donor
finds exciting and the impact the donor’s gift will have
• Ask—then stay silent until the donor talks
• If you receive a yes, say “thanks!” and move to next steps
• If you receive a “no,” find out why—is there a way to turn the
“no” into a “yes”?
• Outline next steps
• Follow through!

14. Major gift acknowledgment
• Should be appropriate to the organization’s
character
• Should be appropriate to the size of the gift
• Should treat all donors at the same level
comparably

15. Major gift stewardship should:
• Make the donor feel appreciated
• Keep the donor engaged
• Deepen the donor’s relationship with the
organization
• Keep renewal of the gift as a key objective

16. Major gifts connect the donor with
the cause in a meaningful way
• Together, your organization—with the help of
major donors—can make positive change in the
world

17. Obrigado!