1. Key Steps
for Building a
Major Gifts
Program

2. Sue Egles
Philanthropic Architect and Partner
Inspireinc.ca
TODAY’S PRESENTER

3. WEBINAR REMINDERS
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4. WHAT IS CANADAHELPS?
• A public charitable foundation and registered charity
• Through CanadaHelps.org, anyone can donate to any
registered Canadian charity online
• We have facilitated over $390 million in charitable
donations online since our launch in 2000
• 14,500 charities use us to collect donations and fundraise
online
• Over 850,000 Canadians have donated through
CanadaHelps
• For donors, CanadaHelps is a one-stop-shop for giving. For
charities, CanadaHelps is an online fundraising solution
that is affordable, easy and secure
WELCOME TO GIVING MADE SIMPLE!

5. Key Steps for Building a Major
Gifts Program
with Sue Egles, CFRE
www.inspireinc.ca
segles@inspireinc.ca

6. Defining a
major gift
Your
must
haves
Case
for
support
Leadership
Identifying
prospects
Cultivation
and
solicitation
Are you
ready?
Getting
started
What
success
looks like
Q and A

7. Annual Giving
Yearly gifts sourced through:
• Direct mail
• Monthly / recurring gifts
• Telemarketing
• Unsolicited gifts
• Small online gifts
• Tribute / memorial gifts
• Purchasing event tickets
• Lotteries and draws

8. Major Gifts
Investments in your mission that include:
• Larger sponsorships, planned gifts, one time larger gifts or
multi-year pledges
• Gifts are typically directed not unrestricted
• Gifts can be designated to a program, capital
need, research or equipment
• Face to face requests, well crafted strategy
• Gift amount usually greater than $1,000
• Partnership with the donor
• Implied commitment to keep the donor informed
• Package of donor recognition benefits

9. Major Gift Fundamentals
Your must haves…
Systems for
managing
donations, comm
unications, propo
sal
writing, recognitio
n, policies and
relationships
Fundraising
Infrastructure
Each
prospect
is a mini
campaign
Solicitation
Strategy
Friend
raising
must
precede
fundraising
Cultivation
Link, int
erest
and
ability
Prospects
Time, tale
nt, treasur
e
Leadership
Compelling
projects and
long term
sustainability
plan
Casefor
Support

10. Case for support
Key elements
• Your mission and strategic directions
• Who you serve, how many and the services you provide
(where do you fit within your sector?)
• Where do you want to be…?
• What are you specific funding needs, why and how much?
• How will you sustain yourself in the future?

11. To better serve persons affected by dementia within our communities, we are
committed to raising $750,000 to provide three years of funding for the
following initiatives:
• Enhancing Clinical Support for Clients - Funding Required: $240,000
• Involving the Society in an additional six Memory Clinic locations impacting 800 newly diagnosed individuals a
year.
• Developing and implementing a program to ease the transition from home to Long Term Care homes, including
the rural area.
• Increasing Rural Outreach - Funding Required: $318,000
• Offering support groups for persons living with dementia and care partners in their rural communities across
the region that address their unique needs.
• Hosting education series for persons living with dementia and their partners in care in their rural communities
tailored to their unique needs.
• Enhancing Volunteer Support - Funding Required: $118,000
• Attracting over 100 volunteers for our Volunteer Companion Program and rural outreach initiatives.
• Hosting annual volunteer appreciation events.
• Increasing Awareness and Knowledge - Funding Required: $50,000
• Upgrading and modernizing our resource libraries to include the latest in research and dementia findings.
• Hosting six annual public Speakers Forums with leading experts in the field of dementia.
Case Samples

14. Volunteer and Staff Leadership
Major gifts need to be anchored across the organization:
• At the Board level
• In the job descriptions of senior leaders
• In a specific staff portfolio
• With a group of volunteers
Why?
• To create commitment, expand networks, to help with
prospect identification, to build awareness

15. Fundraising Leadership
What is required?
Fundraising Leadership
Clout and willingness to use it
Comfortable asking for money
Ability and willingness to make a personal gift
A belief in the importance of your mission / personal story
Knowledge of the local community with varying circles of influence
Respect of the community
Time (to be negotiated with each)
Good communication skills

16. Identifying Prospects
• Current donors
• People in your family / stakeholders (direct relationships)
• People who know your organization and people who are involved
(indirect relationships)
• Businesses that serve your sector
• Donors to other branches / others in your sector
• Community groups
• Select foundations and corporations
• Granting agencies

17. Cultivation
Any activity that moves a prospect closer to making a gift.
A deliberate process that may include:
• Face to face meetings
• Tours
• Lunch, dinner, coffee etc.
• Congratulatory notes
• Receptions – specifically designed
• Events – galas, golf tournaments, ground breaking
• Meetings with Board and Staff
• Newsletters, information pieces

18. Solicitation
Critical factors:
• The right person, at the right time, for the right amount
• Asking a friend to join you is easier than asking a
stranger
• Solicitation team must have made their own gift first
• Must be donor focused – align with their
interests, consider major giving as a
partnership, define benefits, be clear about
deliverables and outcomes
• Ensure the solicitation team is trained, briefed and
comfortable with their role
• Anticipate reactions and be prepared

19. How to Tell if You are Ready
• Build a case briefing document
• Identify top 30
donors, connectors, leaders, board /
family members and suspects
• Ask for 30 minutes of their time to provide
advice
• Ask them about your case (is it
supportable, compelling, urgent)
• Ask about your profile and reputation
• Ask for names (champions and
prospects)
• Ask for fundraising advice
• Ask if you can contact them in the future
Conduct a cultivation
study

20. This will tell you….
• If you are on the radar and what to do if you are not
• If you have been treating your donors well
• If people who know you now would be open to greater
involvement
• If your proposed funding needs are of interest
→ this will help you position your needs to meet the need
of the community
• What your gaps are…. education, awareness, donor
relations, volunteer leadership, culture of philanthropy
• Who are some people that should be on your radar
• If you have internal support

21. The most common finding
The community will tell you your
awareness is low

22. Steps towards implementation
• Take to heart the learnings from your study
• Be concerned about telling your story
• Polish your policies
• Create a volunteer structure to support you
• Create a top 25 prospect list
• Finalize your case for support
• Conduct internal education on what philanthropy means and
how each person can help

23. Implementation….
• Develop customized plans for cultivation
• Arrange meetings to gather advice and qualify prospects (do
your interests align?)
• Start with your closest prospects first
• Ask!!
• Share your success – social media, media
release, website, through your donor’s communication
channels
• Continue to seek ways to deepen your relationships with
donors (stewardship)

24. What Success Looks Like
 You have taken the time to build relationships
 You have a strong reputation and live your brand
 You have done your homework and understand your prospect
 You have planned and rehearsed
 You have involved the right people
 You have well crafted materials that you’re proud of
 You have asked
 You have followed-up
 You have a commitment
 Your actions indicate you value the donor

25. More Charity
Training

26. MYCHARITYCONNECTS
Educational and training opportunities
through MyCharityConnects
www.mycharityconnects.org

27. UPCOMING WEBINARS
www.mycharityconnects.org/webinars
Top 5 Email Fundraising Tips
by guest speaker Taslim Somani
Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Time: 2:00-3:00PM Eastern Time
Jonathan Burns Kevan Osmond
The Future of Volunteer Management
by guest speakers Jonathan Burns and
Kevan Osmond
Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Time: 2:00-3:00PM Eastern Time

28. STAY IN TOUCH
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communications@canadahelps.org
1-877-755-1595