How to Approach a Major Donor You Have No Connection To
Most of the wealthy people on your prospect list are not as unconnected as they look. Beth Upton explains how to check for a route in first, and what to ask for when a cold approach is the only option left.
The 3 Cs: How to Decide Which Major Donor Prospects to Approach First
Most charities have plenty of prospect names and no order to work them in. Beth Upton explains how to score capacity, commitment and connection, and why the most impressive name is often not the best prospect.
How Do You Define a Major Gift for Your Charity?
Here at Money Tree Fundraising, one of the most common questions that we get asked is ‘How do you define a major gift?’, with our clients expecting us to state a fixed sum for them. Others come to us with their own pre-determined definitions and there is huge disparity between their answers.
Why Systems Matter as Much as Major Donor Relationships
Major donor fundraising is relationship driven, and relationships built on instinct alone do not survive staff turnover. Behind every programme that keeps working sits a CRM used properly, records kept consistently, and thanking built into the cycle rather than left to whoever remembers. Here is what needs to be in place.
How to attract major donors to your charity
Attracting major donors is about readiness. Hannah Shepherd sets out the foundations that make a charity worth a major donor's attention: a clear definition of a major gift, a case for support built on impact, a pipeline that starts with your existing supporters, and internal systems that stand up to scrutiny.
Summer Isn't Slow Season, It's Strategy Season: A Major Donor Fundraiser's Guide
Summer is often called the quiet season in major donor fundraising. Hannah Shepherd makes the case that it is one of the richest windows in the calendar, and shares five practical ways to use it, from engagement calendars and due diligence to solicitation planning.
The 7 Steps of Major Donor Fundraising: What Goes Wrong and How to Fix It
The 7 steps of major donor fundraising are widely known — but following them does not guarantee success. Beth Upton argues that charities struggle not because they misunderstand the steps, but because they have not put the organisational foundations in place first. Here is what to address before you start the sequence.
Top 5 reflections – a year at Money Tree Fundraising
Hannah Shepherd marks her first year at Money Tree Fundraising with five honest reflections on what makes major donor fundraising succeed — from organisational culture to the fundamentals that never change.
From Daffodils to Donors: A Spring Reflection on Major Giving
What do daffodils have to do with major donor fundraising? More than you might think. Hannah Shepherd uses the rhythms of the garden to explore what a strong, intentional major donor programme looks like at every stage — from soil preparation to the long bloom.
Dancing for a Cause: What Zumba Taught Me About Major Donor Cultivation
The principles that make Zumba work turn out to apply remarkably well to major donor fundraising. Hannah Shepherd draws out the parallels — authentic connection, consistent rhythm, active listening, proper warm-ups, and patience with individual timelines.
How to Handle Rejection in Major Donor Fundraising
No in major donor fundraising is rarely the end of the conversation. Hannah Shepherd explores what rejection really means, how to stay curious about the reasons behind it, and how a refusal — handled well — can actually strengthen the relationship for next time.
Thanking Major Donors Like You Mean It: Beyond the Template
A thank-you letter that reads like a template tells donors they are not really known. Hannah Shepherd shares a simple approach to writing donor thanks that feel personal — and explains why the difference between a warm, specific letter and a formal acknowledgement is greater than most fundraisers realise.
How to Discover What Really Matters to Your Major Donors (Without Guesswork)
Understanding what drives your major donors is not about reading between the lines — it is about asking the right questions and creating the right conditions for an honest conversation. Hannah Shepherd explains how to do this in a way that feels natural rather than transactional.
Why Major Donor Fundraisers Should Love the Sunday Times Rich List
Major donor fundraisers often dismiss the Sunday Times Rich List as irrelevant, or misuse it as a direct prospect source. Hannah Shepherd explains what it is actually useful for — understanding wealth patterns and sectors — and how to use those insights to identify better prospects in your own networks.
Failure to ask: a cautionary tale
One of the most common reasons charities miss major gifts is simply that they never make the ask. Beth Upton tells the story of an organisation that had everything it needed to secure a significant gift — and never asked. The consequences were entirely avoidable.
How you can judge a major donor programme by a cup of tea
Before assessing a major donor programme, you need to understand the culture around it. Beth Upton shares the five warning signs she looks for when visiting a charity for the first time — and why so many of them show up before she has even sat down.
What Makes a Great Major Donor Fundraiser? The Six Attributes That Matter Most
Major donor fundraising requires a very specific combination of skills, personality traits, and working habits. Beth Upton identifies the six attributes that distinguish excellent major donor fundraisers — and why understanding them matters whether you are recruiting this role or developing someone already in it.
Engaging Major Donors Well: Who, What and How
Major donor fundraising is not as tricky as you might think and it is the one way of fundraising that works regardless of your organisation’s size or cause area and it can be set up on a shoestring budget – as long as it done well. There is no charity that can afford to not consider this area of fundraising.
Cultivation Events: A 12-Point Checklist for Major Donor Fundraisers
Events will never be the be-all-and-end-all of major donor fundraising. Whilst they can be delightful, fun and a real talking point at home, they are more often than not an expensive distraction.