1.
Major Gift Strategies That Work
Rod Miller
ExecIAE.com
June 30, 2010
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2.
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3.
Major Gift Strategies That Work
Rod Miller, Chief Executive
ExecIAE.com

4.
Three Essentials
• Align trustees, chief executive, advancement
• Agree priority-based fundraising plan
• Develop discovery, engagement, solicitation
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 2

5.
Conclusions from Case Examples
• Institutional Leader
– Major gift fundraising
– Envision and execute
– Strategic and hands-on priority
• Major gift fundraising
– Team activity
– Trustees, chief executive, advancement
– Know roles and added value
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 3

6.
Why Emphasize Major Gifts?
“62% of the donors in the study reported “being
asked” as a key motivator for giving!”
Bank of America Study of High Net Worth
Philanthropy, Center of Philanthropy, Indiana
University
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 4

7.
News Flashes
• “…where donations to universities are still a relatively new concept…The
University of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest, launched the campaign with
the announcement it had already raised $48 million from a range of significant
donors…” November 23, 2008 (www.universityworldnews.com)
• “Despite beginning and ending during serious economic recessions, the most
ambitious fundraising campaign in state history soared past its $600 million
goal to raise $853 million…” January 30, 2009 (www.pmr.uoregon.edu)
• “Indiana University and its fundraising partner, the IU Foundation, today
announced that they are raising the goal by $100 million, or 10 percent, to
$1.1 billion…campaign, which runs through 2010, already has realized 95
percent of its initial $1 billion goal…” February 6, 2009
(www.iufoundation.iu.edu)
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 5

8.
Trust is Key…
and engagement builds trust…
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 6

9.
What Defines a Major Gift?
1. Specific dollar amount set by institution
2. Relative from donor’s point of view
3. Requires conversion from an asset
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 7

10.
Aim High
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land
among the stars.”
- Les Brown
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 8

11.
3 Steps to Secure Major Gifts
1. Identify potential donor-investors
2. Engage potential donor-investors
3. Move from potential donor to
donor-investor, in other words… Ask
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 9

12.
The Ask Team
Agree to
• Who?
(trustee,
chief executive,
advancement staff)
• What?
(responsibilities)
• When?
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 10

13.
R.O.I.
Institution 1 Institution 2 Institution 3
Create centers of Clarify the role of trustees Use networks to find new
Reposition excellence. to seek resonance with donor-investors.
strategy the community through
outreach.
Set advancement goals to Initiate six-month review Add advancement staff,
Organize address needs and to for how each part of refresh the case for
advancement process establish a central advancement contributes fundraising and identify
advancement to raising funds for the the institution’s program
organization. institution. experts to be engaged in
fundraising.
Chief Executive to set the Secure firm commitments Chief Executive to commit
Integrate agenda with priority on from trustees to funding serious time to
priority behaviors getting the Chief Executive and fundraising. fundraising.
into the community.
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 11

14.
What is the Institution’s Story?
• What is the added value of your institution
• Clarify who you are, to help decide whom you
should engage
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 12

15.
Keep it Simple
One Hollywood producer used to say
“If you can’t write your idea on the back of my
calling card, you don’t have a clear idea.”
- David Belasco
The Clear Idea
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 13

16.
Step 1: Identify Potential Donors
• Access = Open Door
• Capacity = Resources/Philanthropic
• Emotional Connection = Match to Mission
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 14

17.
Step 2: Engage Potential Donors
• Do the math
– Relatively few will give
– Engage many who are well-qualified
– Need 5 qualified individuals for 1 major gift
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 15

18.
Engagement Essentials
• 6 to 12 engagements before ask
• Listen for what motivates potential donors
– Acknowledgment
– Noble goals
– Gratitude
• Lively case and conversation
• Deal with spontaneous gift
• Ready to say how gift will help
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 16

19.
Inspire Action: 4 Examples
1. Control cancer
2. Inspire kids to careers in science and technology
3. Link how cells age to human aging, cancer and dementias
4. Excited about symphonic music
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 17

20.
The Art of Engagement…
… is the Art of Conversation
We should listen more than we talk
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 18

21.
Systematic Approaches
1. CEO/ Board Chair: On-site briefings and “beneficiary-touch”
2. CEO: Individual visits to stakeholders to invite input on strategy
3. CEO/Board Chair: Enhancement task force
4. “Honor upon honor”
5. CDO: Visits to trustees/board members to enlist in outreach
6. CDO/MGOs: “Discovery” visits
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 19

22.
Step 3: The Ask
• If the identification and engagement are done well,
there will be no surprises!
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 20

23.
Structure of the Ask
1. Introductions
2. Reinforce engagement
i. Acknowledge motivations
ii. Reflect on conversations
iii. Recognize donor’s needs
3. Obtain small agreements
4. Present the Ask
5. Specific $ amount
6. Silence
7. Close the visit
8. Follow up
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 21

24.
Sustained Conversations
• Find up to 7 ways to thank donors
• Between asks, set 3 other engagements
• Keep in touch with major donors as you would
with a good friend
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010 22

25.
Summary
• Identify the added value of an institution
• List key stakeholders
• Engage institutional leaders
• Agree on a workable plan
• Be willing to ask
© Executive Institutional Advancement Exchange LLC 2010
23

26.
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