Major Donors’ Voices webinar follow up Q&A

What counts as a major donor and how big does a gift have to be?

There’s no fixed figure. A major gift is whatever is significant for your organisation, perhaps £500 or £1,000 for a small charity, or £25,000 for a larger one. Judge donors on what they could give across a full year, not on a single past gift.

Windfall donations, such as an inheritance or a one-off, don’t make someone a major donor. Louise Morris suggests looking at total giving over a 12-month period, including regular monthly gifts, and setting your threshold where it makes practical sense for the way you can realistically look after people.

How do you find major donors if you have no network or wealthy contacts?

Start closest to home. Look at who has already given generously through your CRM, a past appeal or even a crowdfunding campaign, then work outwards through the connections of trustees, volunteers and supporters. Going cold should be a last resort; it can take a dozen prospects to secure one gift.

Davinia Batley describes building concentric circles out from existing relationships, layered against genuine interest in your cause. It needn’t be your whole board. One well-connected, committed trustee or supporter is often enough to begin. Frame it around who might be inspired by your work, not who is wealthy.

What should a major donor ‘ask’ actually sound like?

There’s no single script, but by the time you ask, the donor shouldn’t be surprised. Be specific about the amount and what it will fund, even if that’s unrestricted income. Make sure the right person is asking, then stay quiet and let them consider it.

Davinia Batley’s key tip is that once you’ve made the ask, resist filling the silence with qualifiers. Let the moment breathe. The right person isn’t always the fundraiser; sometimes it’s a trustee, the CEO or a fellow major donor. Have your thank-you and follow-up ready, whatever the answer.

How soon should you follow up after making an ask and when do you stop?

There’s no rulebook. It depends on the donor. Agree a next step before you part: what information they need, and when you’ll reconnect. If it goes quiet, gentle, helpful nudging works better than pressure, and someone else who knows them may be best placed to check in.

Louise Morris’s advice is to keep the door open. A donor might give twelve months later once their own circumstances settle. Make it genuinely comfortable for them to say no, and don’t close a relationship after a couple of unanswered emails. There’s usually more going on in their world than you can see.

How do you steward major donors when you’re a small charity with limited time?

Small moments matter most. Five-minute calls and 15-minute coffees build deeper relationships than large, resource-heavy events. Blocking two 30-minute slots a week for donor contact keeps you accountable. You won’t always fill them, but the habit keeps connection alive.

Davinia Batley also encourages asking donors for help. Sharing the vision of your major donor programme often unlocks offers of support you’d never otherwise reach. If you’re already working flat out, building the case for investment in capacity may need to come first. A sustainable programme can’t run on goodwill alone.

How do you carry out due diligence on a potential major donor?

Start with a written due diligence policy so everyone assesses risk the same way. Check financial stability, news coverage and social media for any values misalignment, controversy or illegality, then rate the level of risk so you know when to escalate to your senior team or board.

Davinia Batley stresses this is a charity risk, not one person’s to carry alone. For donations already received, factor in Charity Commission rules on refusing a gift. Check your data protection policies cover this research, and note that the ICO helpline is a useful free resource if you’re ever unsure.

How do you re-engage a major donor who has stopped giving?

First, find out whether they’ve always given at arm’s length. Some donors genuinely prefer not to be involved, and that’s worth respecting. For others, a curiosity-led conversation helps. People give more, and for longer, when they feel valued and connected.

Louise Morris’s wider point is to treat major donor retention as a KPI. We readily assume a £5-a-month donor might lapse, yet expect someone giving £30,000 a year to continue indefinitely. Circumstances change, so check in, thank people meaningfully, and never assume continued giving is guaranteed.

Are major donors moving towards donor advised funds (DAFs)?

Yes. Donor advised funds are growing, partly because they let donors give more privately amid frequent approaches. A DAF is a giving vehicle, not a donor, and the fund itself isn’t stewardable. The relationship still sits with the individual behind it.

Louise Morris’s advice is to stay relationship-first, not DAF-first. Most charities receiving DAF gifts already know the donor and expect the gift to arrive. Summit Fundraising publishes a free guide on DAFs if you would like to understand the mechanics in more detail.

Where to go next

Major donor fundraising rewards patience, genuine curiosity and relationships built over time. It is rarely a single transaction. As Davinia Batley puts it, don’t let perfect be the enemy of done. You don’t need everything aligned before you begin. Watch the full Major Donors’ Voices webinar recording.