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Finding your next Major Donor! The six “P’s” of effective relationships By Dan Mirgon, CFRE In a survey we conducted
over the summer, the most pressing issue
To help you do that, let’s look at what is usually needed before you can identify them. First, we need to remember what a Major Donor is. They are not simply a person who gives more this year than they did last year. That is called “lift” which we certainly want, but not a major donor. A Major Donor is a person who wants to make a significant investment in what God is doing – and do it in a sacrificial way. This gift is meant to have IMPACT. Next, you will need to include the six “P’s” in your process: 1. Prayerful: It all must begin here. If we want God’s provision, we need God’s leading, protection, will, and participation. Prayer is the only way this happens. 2. Planned: You’ve heard the saying, “without a target, you hit what you are aiming at.” In this area, you need a project description that envisions a better, more effective future for the people you serve – funded by people who share that vision. This “case statement” needs to make sense from the donor’s side of the aisle, and should complement your overall ministry case for support. (like the American Express commercial says, “Don’t leave your office without it”) 3. Personal: This potential donor wants to know you and the ministry – and more importantly, wants to know that you care about them and their interests. This can only come about by getting to know them in a personal way. Learn to listen more than you speak. Listen for areas they care about and think about programs that match those interests. The more you really know them and what makes them tick, the more likely you will see a match. 4. Patient: As much as you “need the money now”, you also need to be patient. For a donor to really understand the “Opportunity” before them, it may take some time. Remember who the players are in this relationship. You tell a compelling story, God motivates them to act, and the Donor gets the responsibility of deciding whether to give or not. 5. Permission: Get their permission before going to the next step. Unfortunately, many ministry personnel operate from a “persuasion” mindset. They mistakenly believe that their job is to convince the donor of the “worthiness” of the project. Rather, you should be talking about the lives that are impacted for Christ when significant investment is made – and asking the donor’s permission to show them what your program could do with their help. 6. Persistent: This can be the hardest part, especially when the budget keeps reminding you of its ever-growing need for cash. The answer is to see more people, tell the story more often, and pray continually that God will lead you to “His” provision for “His” ministry. Remember what Psalm 127:1 says about “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” That doesn’t mean we sit in our office playing solitaire on the computer waiting for the checks to arrive. It means we follow the advice from the Irish potato famine – “Pray for potatoes with a hoe in your hand.”
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for our readers is that of
Cultivating Major Donors. Ministry leaders want to find the next major
donor. One who “gets it” and wants to invest in what God is doing through
your ministry.