From Daffodils to Donors: A Spring Reflection on Major Giving

Pressed into my hand on the school playground one early March morning was a bright daffodil.  Crisp, fresh petals as if the flower had just been picked from its stem. I was asked by my child to take this treasured bloom and look after this flower which had been dropped onto the cold playground. 

Spring is my favourite time of year. It’s when the days get lighter, the weather feels less oppressive, trees blossom and bulbs push through muddy soils. It’s also the perfect time of the year to assess, review and plan your Major Donor fundraising. 

Planning your garden 

I appreciate that reviewing your major donor fundraising might feel like one more task in a month when you are busying secure gifts before the end of the month and financial year.  You might be dreaming of a ‘quiet period’ but now is the time to reflect and review your major donor fundraising activities.  Your best results in your garden often happen when you’ve looked at what’s flourished, grown and what might have underperformed (not enough light, too much water).  Then start your planning early.  What do you need to plant, prune and stop doing to get your garden and major donor fundraising to thrive?  If you don’t have capacity to do this, Money Tree Fundraising can help – we can review, recommend and take you through the next steps for your Major Donor programme – just get in touch!  

Scattering seeds  

How you work with Major Donors matters. You may be scattering seeds and planting bulbs randomly across your garden and seeing some great results.  You’re having a go, spreading the word about your charity, the impact it makes and seeing which seeds stick, which bulbs grow roots and then flourish into blooms. But is this the best approach for your garden and Major Donor fundraising programme?  I can guarantee with this approach there are a lot of the seeds which aren’t germinating on their own and in some cases being eaten by birds or floundering in shady borders. 

Soil quality  

What soil you plant your seeds or bulbs in matters.  Do you know your soil (aka your charity inside out)? Are you working with clay, sand, peat, or chalk soil in your garden? The type of soil and the growing conditions matter. For example, if you are a gardener (fundraiser) with heavy clay soil, tulips might not flourish in your garden.  But if you add some horticultural grit to the soil to improve the drainage around the bulb, you could see a flowerbed of string beautiful tulips spring up.  To put that in a fundraising context, how does your organisation work?  Are there projects (soil) which are ripe for funding? Are these projects donor friendly and if not, what can you work with your colleagues to improve the offering to donors? 

Changing your flowers 

Perhaps tulips are not what you want or need?  Perhaps you need daffodils and snowdrops which thrive in clay soils. Could that be true reflection of your major donor fundraising?  Sometimes we fall into a rut of asking our Major Donors to donate towards the same projects and overlook or forget to ask for funding for priority projects.  Do you check that you are asking donors to fund what your organisation really needs funding for, not the nice to have projects? 

Watering 

Who is supporting cultivating your spring bulbs or donors? Who is supporting your engagement with new or existing donors. Peer endorsements are the most successful way to secure a major gift for your organisation.  Are you speaking to existing donors about them recommending their friends and contacts your charity? Also are your Chief Executive, Project staff and Trustees sprinkling water over your donors and prospects?  As a fundraiser, it’s your job to work out how their involvement with donors can add value to the donor’s experience.  Can you create the opportunities for donors and beneficiaries to grow together? 

Add fertiliser 

Are you adding fertiliser to your soil throughout the year?  Are you continuing to build relationships with donors after they’ve donated and engaging with them to encourage them to make another donation? Once the donation is secured, the job isn’t done. As a Fundraiser, you need to continue to demonstrate the impact of your work, how the donor’s donation has made an impact and take them on the journey of being a supporter of your charity.