Major gift dilemma: Acknowledge it in your next appeal?
Question:
Our organization just received a very large gift from a well-known philanthropist, which made news in our area. Should we acknowledge this gift in our upcoming appeal letter?
Answer:
Let's first clarify the purpose of an appeal: to raise funds from the good-hearted people reading it. Acknowledging such a large gift in your upcoming appeal letter could have the opposite effect: suppressing donations.
Donors need to feel they can make a difference through their giving. Reading about a large gift in a fundraising letter can be demotivating. It may make most donors feel that their own contributions would be insignificant or unnecessary. 😟
Donors respond best to a "donor-size" problem they can help solve. Often, this is illustrated through a story of need. An effective appeal also presents an offer that feels like a good opportunity and conveys a sense of urgency.
Now here's the most interesting part, and it applies to any major gift (or group of gifts):
An effective way to mention a large gift in your appeal is to leverage it strategically as a matched giving opportunity.
Donors love match offers because their impact doubles! 💕 So, if you can make this gift (or part of it) available as a matching fund, do it!
You'll lift response rates and raise more money.
Here's an example.
Within your appeal, you can write something like this:
Thanks to a generous gift, we have the foundation to expand our services to help more kids in 2025.Now, all we need is YOU to help fully realize this potential! Today, every $1 you give becomes $2 with matching funds!
Then, immediately share the specific cost, how the gift multiplies, the forthcoming impact, and the urgency:
When you give right away, your gift of [$ASK1] today will become [$ASK1x2] to help children like Emma light up with excitement at our new early learning center.The kids will giggle through interactive storytime, make new friends during creative play, and beam with pride as they conquer early math games.You'll have twice the impact, filling their days with joy and wonder — and setting them up for a lifelong love of learning!The children will be back in school in January. So please make your most generous gift today while you're thinking about it. And while matching funds last!
Remember, while the major gift is transformative, you still need community support to make the magic happen. Keep the focus on the amazing difference each person makes. You'll inspire continued support for your important work! 💛
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