We’ve all heard the stories.
A nonprofit executive is surprised by a windfall gift – a generous check from a donor, either living or deceased, that comes as a complete surprise.
It is easy to tell the story as if that gift is like a lightning strike from out of the blue. But in reality, these gifts arrive after years of cultivation and attention.
Major gifts are the climax of a donor’s story. They are about donor values as much as program goals. They are a symbol of the legacy the donor wishes to leave.
Securing such gifts is not about waiting for lightning to strike as much as it is about planting seeds. Through small, continual, nurturing interactions, you can encourage a legacy-level gift to grow in the heart and mind of a donor, even if you don’t know exactly when that gift might be harvested.
How do you nurture such seeds?
Telling yourself that an organization who receives an unexpected major gift is just “lucky” is letting yourself off the hook too easily.
While you’re waiting for lightning to strike, the nonprofit next door might just be out there making it rain.