Our Co-founder, Meg, went live on Instagram a few weeks ago to answer top-of-mind questions sent to us on philanthropic trends & major gifts. Keep reading for some snippets of Meg’s answers to those questions. To hear the full answers to all of the questions, as well as a bonus question, check out the video on Instagram. You can find us @GeorgePhilanthropy!

Have you read the Major Gift Checklist? If not, give it a read! It outlines, for lack of better works, Meg & Phil’s secret sauce. As a refresher, the checklist walks you through a step-by-step process of securing major gifts for your nonprofit. For this blog, I’ll be focusing on step five:

Congratulations! You’re a frontline fundraiser and you’ve just closed a 5, 6, or 7 figure gift! Now, you’re surely developing a stewardship plan for the person, family, or entity who has made a considerable philanthropic investment in your mission, and you will go forth employing verbal and written expressions of gratitude and recognition, and you’ll plan events or experiences that expose the donor to the ways their philanthropy has advanced the organization’s mission.

When it comes to strategies for raising money, let's start with what we know. We know that philanthropists are investors: their curiosity in gift-giving is around how impactful gifts will be and how support will be used to generate important outcomes. We also know that this all boils down to what the future has in store.

The title is a statement I hear often. To which I reply: not a problem.

Historically, there has been a lot of hype around building nonprofit boards to raise money. However, they have a different role to play, and in order to do it, they need to know about it.

If you’re finding that you raised more money, but it came from less donors, you’re not alone.

If you’ve read my other posts, you already know that I embrace this trend and I hope you will, too. Time spent more efficiently on relationships who are truly investing in you!? Sign me up.

One of the more posed questions in our workshops or by email is around how to engage someone meaningfully before they're ready to make a significant commitment to the organization. We have a few ideas for you, and one is around a test-gift-strategy.

By definition a feasibility study means "the assessment of the practicality of a proposed plan." I like to tell people that we want to make sure that what we'll set out to do will be successful. Then why does the idea of this process in an advancement office or at a nonprofit oftentimes evoke a visceral response? Board members are up in arms about spending this much money, and leadership is exhausted at the idea of going through this type of assessment yet-again. Well, I get it.

It's not rocket science, but it's not entirely obvious either: even when we are focused on our own specific role and duty, we are collectively working toward the same greater good. Why does that matter more right now?

I'm repeating myself again. A little louder for everyone in the back: don't assume things about or for your donors. Even though, I know, the world is mentally and emotionally exhausted, people are still giving.

What are the important qualities needed to be a successful fundraiser? Whether you identify as an introvert or an extrovert, or somewhere in the middle, here are some important things to consider.

In case you missed it, Phil and I launched a new arm of business a couple of weeks back: recruiting for nonprofit organizations. It has always been a topic of conversation for us: we know what this organization truly needs, but do we have the right person or people who can carry it out?

If you're a sophisticated philanthropist, or if you're working with one, you might be curious about a playbook-for-giving that maximizes impact right now. I'll make it simple for you: don't wait, and give directly to the nonprofit organizations you believe in.

We know how it feels to get a major gifts program off the ground -- so we're here to help. Here is a list to check yourself against the priorities we suggest focusing on when you're launching into major gift work.

Week 8 of quarantine, but who is counting. The country is starting to open up for some of us, and for others, it looks the same as it did seven weeks ago. It's hard not to feel the pinch and your instincts may be telling you to cut where you can, and rally from it later. Here’s why that won’t help.

Need some help finding the best way to connect with your constituents right now? Click here for email templates that can help you get started.

Does everyone on your team know who your prospects and top donors are? If they don't, now is as good of a time as any to get the troops well-informed. 

If you're questioning whether or not you should be soliciting gifts to an emergency response fund, you get can your answer quickly and simply by doing the math. 

Weeks three and four of quarantine have brought us through the initial shock, the onset of quick check-ins with donors, and a fast race to bring our audiences digital content. We're resetting our budgetary and calendar-related expectations and getting creative with how we bring content to our supporters and communities. Now what? 

Nonprofit friends, we know you're hurting and that you're worried. We're here for you and want to equip you with tools that can make your work feel meaningful and optimistic right now. Read on for the questions we have been fielding the most with our replies and suggestions.