Major Gifts

Why Donors Stop Giving

Some very simple steps will ensure that your donors feel that their gifts are being truly appreciated and will help you with moving these same donors “up the ladder” for your organization.

The most common reasons that donors stop giving to any charitable organization are the following: failing to get the necessary information that would cause them to give again and over solicitation – "I’m being asked to give again before I have been adequately informed of the results from my first gift."

In order to keep your major donors happy and to increase the likelihood of their becoming a life-long donor, you must ensure that you are immediately thanking your donors upon receipt of a gift (with handwritten notes) and providing them detailed information about what their gift has allowed you to do. If the gift allowed you to keep the lights on for another year, let them know!

Lastly, ensure solicitations of any given donor are highly coordinated and done with the objective of asking less often but perhaps for more significant gifts. Although the "bake sales" can be very good for marketing and raising a little money, make sure that your major donors are approached in a more selective manner and your results will show!

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