You have a cause worth backing and, most likely, half the case for support already made. What is missing is usually the same three things: a list of who to approach, a plan for staying close to them, and the confidence to ask. All three can be built, and faster than you think.
Your next big gift is closer than it feels.
Not ready to talk? Measure your readiness in two minutes with the free Major Donor Scorecard.
Whatever brought you here, it is probably one of these.
“I don't know how to find major donors.”
Almost nobody does at the start, and hardly anyone needs to buy a list: most charities already hold the supporter data a first pipeline needs. Only 24% of charities have a prioritised list of donors. Building yours is the fastest single step forward in major donor fundraising.
"My board and senior team aren't behind it."
The most common blocker of all, and the one that grows in our data year on year. Leadership buy-in is winnable with evidence and a small early win, and that buy-in changes everything downstream.
"I don't know how to ask, or when, or for how much."
The ask is the sector's most persistent fear, and it is a skill, not a personality trait. There is a reliable structure for the ask conversation, and once you have it, the fear shrinks to nerves and nerves are useful.
"I can't get meetings with donors."
Meetings follow relationships, not the other way round. If requests are going unanswered, the approach usually needs changing, not the effort doubling.
"I'm worried about keeping donors once they give."
Stewardship is a diary discipline, not a grand gesture. Only 15% of charities have a planned programme of donor communications; a simple twelve-month contact plan puts you ahead of 85% of the sector.
If you found yourself in one of those, this page is for you.
the average UK charity's readiness for major donor fundraising
52%
UK charities measured over two years
201
have a prioritised list of donors to approach
24%
We publish the evidence:
The State of Major Donor Fundraising in the UK is free to download →
Wherever you are, you are somewhere on this path.
Every major donor programme we have ever seen, thriving, stalled or not yet started, sits at one of six stages. Knowing yours tells you exactly what to do next, and what not to waste effort on yet.
Readiness
Is your organisation genuinely ready to do this, and do you have the backing to try?
Proposal
Can you say, in words a donor understands, what their money would do? This is the sector’s strongest area: 72% of charities are already on solid ground here.
Research
Who, specifically, will you approach? Not a purchased list: a prioritised one, created from the supporters and networks you already have.
Engage
Real relationships, built deliberately. Meetings, conversations and involvement that mean the eventual ask is a natural next step, not an ambush.
The diary discipline: who hears from you, when, and what happens after the first gift. This is the stage the sector has built least, which makes it the fastest place to pull ahead.
Plan
Launch
Asking, properly and repeatedly, with the whole organisation behind you. Not a one-off action but a programme that builds momentum.
Every way we work, from a single session to a full programme, starts by locating you on this path.
Start where you are.
"I have one problem I can't see past."
Ninety minutes, one-to-one with a senior specialist, £165 + VAT, booked online. You bring the problem; you leave with a written steer on your next three moves.
"We need hands, not just advice."
Interim and recruitment support
Experienced major donor fundraisers inside your team while you build or hire.
"We're starting from scratch and want to start well."
A structured programme that takes you from readiness to your first asks, with your leadership on board from day one.
"We need the skills in-house."
From making the ask to managing the pipeline, for fundraisers, leaders and boards.
"We need an honest outside read on our programme."
Where you really are, what is working, and what to change, from people who have built these programmes themselves.
“Our partnership with Money Tree Fundraising, initiated in 2020, marked a pivotal moment for our Philanthropy team. Kitty Hazell was our dedicated associate consultant from Money Tree Fundraising and she seamlessly integrated herself into our organisation's fabric by delving deep into understanding our mission, our people, and the intricate tapestry of our strengths and challenges. Kitty quickly became more than a consultant; she became an indispensable extension of our team.”
Two free ways to get your bearings.
The Major Donor Scorecard
Twenty questions, two minutes, an instant picture of your readiness.
The State of Major Donor Fundraising in the UK
Where the sector is strong, where it falls down, and the four steps forward.
Or just ask us.
Thirty minutes, no obligation, no pitch. Bring the situation as it actually is, the version you would not put in a board paper, and we will tell you honestly what we would do in your position, whether or not that involves us.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There is no fixed threshold: a major gift is one that is significant for your charity. For a small charity that may be £1,000; for a large one, £25,000 or more. It is an approach to fundraising more than a fixed gift level.
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Yes and the data says they have the most to gain. The readiness gap between small and large charities is a pipeline gap, and a pipeline can be built from data you already hold, without paid wealth-screening.
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Realistically, the first significant gifts arrive within one to two years and the programme compounds over three to five. It is the slowest fundraising to start and the most durable once running, which is why the right moment to begin is earlier than feels comfortable.