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major gifts Archives | CCS Fundraising

Top Five Tips for Creating Robust Major Gift Portfolios Using CRM Data

A strong major gifts program requires well-composed portfolios. While donor conversation is and will always be critical for confirming their inclination to give and gift capacity, many issues in constructing portfolios can be resolved ahead of time with data captured in a CRM system. These five tips will help your development department leverage the data […]

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July 28, 2021

Optimizing Major Gift Portfolios Using Predictive Modeling Scores

An organization’s assigned portfolio defines where relationship managers’ time and energy will be focused. Thus, it pays off to critically evaluate and optimize the makeup of your organization’s gift portfolio. From a fundraising perspective, spending time on prospective donors that don’t have the capacity to make a meaningful gift is an inefficient use of valuable […]

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June 4, 2021

Asking for Major Gifts in a Virtual World: A Practical Guide to Virtual Solicitation

In CCS’s January 2021 Philanthropic Climate Survey, more than half of respondents reported that they have held a virtual major gift solicitation through either phone, video, or both methods since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Of those who held virtual solicitations, a combined 72% of respondents reported that their virtual requests were either as successful or […]

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March 3, 2021

CCS Survey Reveals Successful Virtual Donor Engagement Results and Positive Signs for Nonprofit Fundraising in 2021

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly a year ago, one of the central questions in the minds of nonprofit leaders and fundraisers has continually been can we raise money effectively in a virtual world? The latest results from CCS’s Philanthropic Climate Survey—which encompass responses from more than 1,000 individuals representing nonprofits across sectors—help show that […]

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February 3, 2021

How Predictive Modeling Can Help Nonprofits Identify New Major Gift Prospects

More often than not, nonprofits have untapped potential in their donor databases. There are likely lower-level donors in your CRM that—if identified and properly cultivated—can be tomorrow’s big-ticket givers. So how do you find them? Just as for-profit businesses often use predictive analytics to grow revenue, charities can use predictive analytics to improve fundraising results. […]

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January 26, 2021

CCS Fundraising’s Top Resources for Year-End Reflection

The end of a calendar year provides a natural juncture for reflection and planning. After such a tumultuous year as 2020, it’s more important than ever for development professionals and nonprofit leaders to take stock of all that we’ve been through as we plan for 2021 and beyond. As 2020 draws to a close, check […]

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December 17, 2020

Your Fundraising Forecast Cheat Sheet for 2021 [Excel Template Included]

Forecasting fundraising revenue can be a difficult task for nonprofits in any given year. In such a tumultuous year as 2020, forecasting is an especially tall order. Click here to download our Excel forecasting tool! Amid so much uncertainty about what the future holds, it can help to center your forecasting exercises around two key […]

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December 8, 2020

RFM and Wealth Screening for Major Gift Strategy

With roughly 100 days between now and December 31st, how can you prioritize your team’s time and resources to decide how to cultivate major gifts and prioritize gift requests? Almost every cause and organization is facing increased philanthropic need this year. When combined with the reality that discovery visits and in-person cultivation, briefing, solicitation, and […]

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September 25, 2020

Combining and Sequencing Donor Request Strategies

An external crisis such as COVID-19 causes significant shifts for a nonprofit’s operational and strategic funding needs and plans. Whether it’s for a campaign or operational sustainability, through a focused and clear request strategy, your organization can secure immediate support from your closest and most capable supporters without compromising future strategic funding requests. In this […]

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June 9, 2020

Five Steps to the Big Ask: How to Prepare Donors to Receive a Big Gift Request

So you’ve identified a family who has the potential to make a transformational gift. They’ve made a moderate gift to your annual fund and are showing interest in deepening their engagement. But how do you move them from a transactional annual fund supporter to a transformational investor in your school’s vision? In this article, we […]

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February 20, 2020

Maximizing Event ROI: Incorporating a Defined Major Gift Strategy in Special Event Planning

We have all been there before: The months of planning, recruiting a committee, selecting the appropriate honoree, repeated outreach to vendors and sponsors, proofreading the program and every last detail down to the seating plan and place settings… Every year, development professionals devote an enormous amount of time, energy, and resources to executing a large […]

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March 30, 2017