October 8, 2008 - New York, NY - "Successful major gift fundraising begins with having an understanding of what motivates donors to give, making a compelling case for support and having clear strategies for personal solicitations," Craig Hall, executive vice president and managing director for Graham-Pelton Consulting, Inc. said in a presentation at the 13th Annual Development Day held at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, New York.
"Other key strategies include committed and active leadership, an identifiable pool of potential donors, a highly coordinated plan and timetable and the discipline to make fundraising a process, not an event," Hall explained during his presentation, "Building a Major Gifts Program."
Hall provides counsel and fundraising assistance to healthcare, religious, cultural, environmental, and civic organizations, as well as educational institutions and associations in the United States and Latin America. His experience includes two decades of successfully directing and supervising capital and endowment campaigns for nonprofit organizations.
"Major gift fundraising must be a top organizational priority with an emphasis on asking for gifts," Hall said. "Major gifts don't just happen. Donors must be asked to give."
According to Hall, building personal relationships with donors, treating them as partners instead of providers, asking them face-to-face for a major gift, and communicating the mutual benefits and impact that a gift makes on the community will improve the likelihood of a major gift donation.
