Major Gift Fundraising

  30 January 2024   By David Allen, Development for Conservation   One day, back in my TNC days, a donor walked in and told us that he was taking his company public and that he wanted to make a million-dollar gift. He was not unknown to us. He had...

    5 December 2023   By David Allen, Development for Conservation   I think $250 is a magic number in fundraising. It’s a small enough number that everyone can afford it. Some will argue that point, but I’m talking about $20 a month – there aren't many people in the country...

  25 July 2023   By David Allen, Development for Conservation   If I had to pick just one issue holding organizations back from raising more money, it would be this: Board members and senior staff don’t know the donors and donors don’t know the organizational leadership. Donors will feel more...

  7 December 2020   By David Allen, Development for Conservation   Last week, I started a post on capital campaigns, because I have been hearing from land trusts exploring capital campaigns for projects ill-suited for campaigns – specifically to raise money for operating endowment, stewardship endowment, land protection “opportunity”...

  18 May 2021   By David Allen, Development for Conservation   I need to get something off my chest.   Major gift fundraising is the most important fundraising you can do.   OK - that feels better. Major gift fundraising is NOT dependent on the scale of the projects being funded, and it’s not...