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 a minority 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%
201
UK charities measured over two years
charities with 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.
Plan
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.
Launch
Asking, properly and repeatedly, with the whole organisation behind you. Not a one-off action but a programme that builds momentum.
We did not invent this path. It comes from 199 contracts since 2018 and two years of readiness data from 201 UK charities.
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'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.
"Our programme has stalled and we cannot say why."
An evidenced picture of where you really are, benchmarked against 201 UK charities, with recommendations your leadership has agreed. Nine weeks.
"We keep asking the same few people"
A prioritised list of who to approach next, built from the supporters you already hold, and a repeatable way to keep it filled. Twelve weeks.
"We need hands, not just advice."
Interim and recruitment support
Experienced major donor fundraisers inside your team while you build or hire.
"We need the skills in-house."
From making the ask to managing the pipeline, for fundraisers, leaders and boards.
“It was a genuine pleasure to work with Money Tree Fundraising on Rosa's Major Donor programme. They provided interim support and strategic focus while we recruited a permanent Major Donor manager. They stewarded our programme brilliantly, helping us to develop our existing portfolio and build new relationships. Internally, our consultant helped to onboard our new team member and provided an excellent handover. Most significantly, they provided the expertise we needed to launch Rosa's new giving circle. In all of these tasks, they balanced expertise, professionalism and enthusiasm. They helped us to make complex and important decisions, while bringing multiple stakeholders on board, with a lightness of touch. Personally, I feel more confident in my own role after working with them. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with Money Tree Fundraising, and I know who to call if we need support again."
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.