Annual Fund Raising
Annual Fund Raising Let's be honest. Annual fund raising may not be very exciting, but it is a critical success factor in Read more
Major Donor Development
Major Donor Development "Big dollars are almost never given; they are almost always asked for." Moses Read more
Pre-Campaign (Feasibility Studies)
Pre-Campaign (Feasibility) Studies The first phase of a capital campaign is a Pre-Campaign or Feasibility Study to determine what the likely Read more
Client News
The Timothy Group advances Christian organizations by implementing fundraising and capacity building strategies through vision, experience and leadership.
Friend and Fund Raising
The Fat Boy in the Canoe
It's really a rookie move to ask for "the whole enchilada." When I served as a foundation director, I consulted with a ministry that was seeking to launch a $2 million campaign. I assisted the new development director with foundation research to discover possible grant |
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Most major donors will consider a leadership gift in the range of 10 percent to15 percent of the total campaign goal. This is a good rule of thumb to follow when rating a donor to determine the gift amount you should request. Some executive directors and development officers new to major donor world get really excited about finding a new prospect that could "write a check for the whole campaign." While a major donor might have the capacity to underwrite your entire project, he or she probably won't, unless they have an unusually close relationship to your organization. Major donors became major donors by making wise business decisions. They approach giving with the same diligence. 
"Thank you for your help and counsel regarding our recent Leadership Giving Campaign. The methodology, advice and guidance you provided our team has paid off for not only this year's campaign but for our future Leadership Giving activities. . . . The Donor Briefing concept you suggested has been a HOME RUN! It resulted in an increase of well over $1.4 million and the prospect of a second $500,000 gift from another donor group. . . . Our staff is energized. Our Board has caught the vision . . . This has not only been what we hoped it would be, but it has turned into much more. I am convinced that any Army unit that commits to working this program can be successful!"
"Despite what the news media reports, checks are still being written for ministry. Stewards are still stewards in any economy. 
