How to Present a Major Gift Offer That Can't Be Refused

The Godfather knew a thing or two about motivation. You’re maximally persuasive if you can give folks that which they most yearn for.

Begin here: What do you “got” on your donor?

Seriously, review everything you know about them so you can match your offer to whatever they hope for the most. Don’t be too concrete. In marketing 101, I learned people don’t buy a drill because they need a drill. They buy it because they need a hole. But there’s even more to it. 

• Maybe they’re buying hope for the future, as they use the drill to build a crib. 
• Maybe they’re buying peace of mind, as they attach the bookcase to the stud so the toddler doesn’t tip it on to themself. 
• Maybe they’re buying nostalgia, as they hang pictures of their child on the swing for when they’ve left for college.

Know What Intangibles Your Donor Yearns for

No idea? You’re not yet ready to craft an offer that will give them the sense of hope, peace, nostalgia, purpose or legacy they want to buy from you. 

Do some research and set up a “getting to know you” visit (Zoom works swell). Based on what you discover, make a list of no more than five key things your donor is hiring you to do. Then make your offer all about those things (e.g., create pay equity, get homeless people shelter, stop sex trafficking, rescue dogs, ensure equal access to legal services, create and deliver anti-bullying programs, bring art into the schools, etc.).

Don’t Be Vague

Think about the offer from the donor’s perspective. Are you really grabbing them with something that compels them to pay attention and invites a thoughtful, passionate response, or just presenting something vague? You want to pitch specifically, in a manner to which the donor will be most receptive.

The vague problem description is a major gift killer, and happens far too often. Here’s what it looks and feels like to a would-be major donor:

• Looks too general. Feels abstract; does not invoke the donor’s most passionate gift. 
• Looks too broad in scope. Feels daunting; a gift seems like a meaningless drop in the bucket. 
• Looks irrelevant. Feels peripheral to the donor’s primary interest; they’ll deny you their full attention.

Don’t Ask the Donor to Address Your Entire Mission

Know how you and your donor think differently. You live and breathe the full depth and breadth of your work. Donors don’t. They’re likely most attracted to a piece of it. Find that piece, and donors will give most passionately. 

• “Ending hunger” sounds awesome to you, but impossibly unrealistic to the donor.
• “Curing cancer” sounds splendid to you, but too huge in scope to the donor.
• “Eradicating poverty” sounds vital to you, but absolutely overwhelming to the donor.
• “Becoming a world class symphony” sounds grand to you, but grandiose to the donor.
• “Saving children” may be your priority today, but you also serve seniors and that’s what the donor most cares about.

Ask for a Specific Reason

Many donors will give more if they can choose where the money goes. Don’t get stuck on the idea that giving must be unrestricted. It’s smarter to divide your operating budget into large slices that, combined, constitute the full pie of your functional funds. For example, a human services agency might offer donors the opportunity to give to at-risk children, vulnerable seniors, families on the edge, low-income single adults or where most needed. In my experience, about half of the people will let you make the decision, while half will make their own choice.

Offer an example of how the gift will be used. If you fear you’ll raise more money than needed for this purpose, use the word “and.” Say “your gift will go to help Mary stay off the streets and to help other vulnerable people with emergency assistance and supportive services.”

Ask for a Specific Amount

Give the donor something specific to chew on. If you’re too high, they’ll let you know. If you’re too low, they won’t. You’ll miss out and they’ll feel a bit deflated. If you’re too vague, they’ll feel uncomfortable — never a good outcome.

Some recommend multiplying a donor’s annual gift by a factor of five when asking for a major or capital gift. If they give $5,000 annually, ask for $25,000 for a special campaign. 

If you’re simply asking for an upgraded annual gift, increase the ask more gradually. For example, ask them to move to your next giving level (e.g., to go from $1,000 to $1,500). 

Another way to simply say: 

“I can’t presume to know how much you can give toward this project. I can tell you we’re aiming to raise $1 million. If that's something you could do, we would be over the moon with gratitude. If you were thinking of something less, that would be greatly appreciated as well.” 

Legend has it that this is how Rockefeller handled his fundraising asks.

Introduce Leveraging Opportunities

Most people would love to give more if they could. Tell them how they can! One of my favorites is the challenge gift. If you’ve got one already, let folks know they can multiply the value of their gift by responding now. Don’t have one? Try this:

“Claire, I’m looking for five donors to each give $50,000 so we can offer a $250,000 matching challenge to meet our $500,000 goal for this project. Would you consider becoming one of the leaders of this initiative?” 

Telling donors their gift will unlock the generosity of others can be particularly motivating to those who love being leaders, but enjoy knowing they’re not on the hook for everything. Make sure to report back — both to donors who offered the challenge and to those who met it. Don’t leave anyone hanging, wondering what happened.

Other ways donors can increase the value of their gift is through corporate matching, qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, and gifts of stock or other appreciated property.

Remember: Your Offer Is Too Good to Refuse

Often, if you’ve done your homework, a “no” today may still turn into a future “yes.” Assess what their “no” signifies. It could mean:

1. Not interested, ever.
2. Not this project.
3. Not this amount.
4. Not at this time.
5. Not you asking me.

You can work with all of these except the first one. And even then, ask “what is it about this project that fails to interest you?” to try to find another project that better matches the donor’s passions. So, be prepared to turn a “no” into some follow-up questions. 

• “Claire, can you tell me more about why you’re saying “no” today?
• “Is it something I didn’t explain well?”
• “Can I ask if your answer relates to a concern you have about whether the program will come to fruition?”
• “Were you thinking about a different amount?”
• “Is this just not a good time for you?”
• “Is there someone else you’d like to talk to?”

Lead with curiosity, listen deeply and let them know it will help you with other community fundraising if you can learn about what they didn’t find persuasive. Don’t push them to change their answer right now. Do keep building the relationship and letting the story continue to unfold. 

Major gift fundraising takes time. If you put in the time, it will be well worth your effort and patience. Donors must be moved, by you, to act.

When you’ve done all in your power to craft an irresistible offer, don’t take a “no” personally. Your offer is a message about the problem, solution and how the donor can help. Your offer is a specific example of how the donor can seize an opportunity to make a difference. If they take a shot at you, let it roll off your back. You can’t be shot down — because as Jim Shapiro, a fundraising colleague, says, “You’re just the messenger.”

The preceding post was provided by an individual unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of NonProfit PRO.