Donors can be tricky. Some want frequent updates and lots of information, while others favor a more streamlined approach. Some want to see data demonstrating a nonprofit’s effectiveness; others prefer meetings that are less formal.
Here is a selection of resources from The Chronicle on building strong, smooth relationships with the big donors who provide critical support for your nonprofit.
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AdviceWhy Fundraisers Should Take the Long View
Being patient and keeping all donors informed can result in big rewards. -
Advice
Use Meetings With Wealthy Donors to Build Connections
Nonprofit leaders and major-gift fundraisers offer tips for using face-to-face contact to strengthen ties with big donors. -
News
More Nonprofits Ramp Up Their Donor Stewardship
Fierce competition for support results in new and expanded donor-relations staffs and creative ways of saying thanks. -
Advice
What to Do When Donor Values Clash With Your Mission
Your nonprofit wants to be inclusive. Your donors don’t. Can your relationship be saved? -
Advice
How Fundraisers Can Deal With Donors Who Have a Different Worldview
What to do when a donor wants to talk politics — or uses old-fashioned terms that make you cringe. -
Advice
Improvising While Fundraising: How to React to the Unexpected When Asking for Money
By incorporating techniques from improvisational theater, fundraisers can develop the flexibility and quick reflexes necessary to seal the deal. -
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Advice
5 Things to Do Before Your First Meeting With a Major-Gift Prospect
A checklist of how to prepare for that important first appointment. -
Advice
The Basics of Meeting with Big Donors
Veteran fundraisers and consultants offer their advice on what to do, when, and where. -
Advice
Advice: Why You Should Never Rush a Donor
A major-gift fundraiser shares two lessons he learned about asking for a donation too soon. -
Advice
Advice: Getting Comfortable Working With Ultrawealthy Donors
Fundraisers offer pointers on building relationships with high-net-worth individuals. -
Advice
Case Study: How One Food Bank Gives Wealthy Donors Just Enough Information
From its annual report to short and simple “Mission Moments,” Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida keeps its donors up-to-date in the ways they prefer. -
Advice
Is Your Donor Reluctant — or Finished With You?
Fundraisers struggle with deciding when to break it off with a supporter who’s gone silent. The decisions are never easy, as the memory of a million-dollar-plus gift lingers. -
Advice
How a Charity Made the Most of a Celebrity Supporter’s TV Appearance — After Years of Patience
The Fistula Foundation maximized a comedian’s decision to donate his winnings from Jeopardy.
