Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 6460 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCH/APRIL 2017 DAY-TO-DAY D efining who in your donor base is a major donor will be different for every ministry. Some will look at a $1,000 gift as a major gift; others consider something much larger. The question that often sits on the develop- ment desk is, “How, or where, do we find more major donors?” As your ministry grows and your need for increased giving rises, it’s important to find people who have the capacity to make significant contri- butions. You have read in this column several times that when a significant gift is being consid- ered by a donor, they want to know that the ministry leadership can be trusted. They also want to know that their gift will be used in the manner they intended. If you are seeking new donors, they need to have a desire to support your type of ministry and they need to trust you and your leadership team. They also will want to know that your vision for the future of the ministry is solid and supportable. You can tell them what they want to know, but the best way to engage with them is through someone they already trust and who trusts you—a peer…someone they know and who already gives significantly to the mission. We call this person an advocate. Advocates need to be brought into your team. These are donors you have built a relationship with and can help you meet new partners. You and the advocates should vet the names they bring to be sure that these new people are in fact new to the ministry. You should also do research on these people so that you get to know them outside of the advocate’s relationship. Then a plan of approach needs to be developed. The advocate will introduce you as a friend, while endorsing you as someone to trust. The advocate also needs to endorse the ministry and the outcomes achieved. I suggest a coffee meeting with the three parties present. Another meeting venue could allow more than one friend to be introduced: a tea/coffee get- together in the home of the advocate where two or three friends or couples are invited. To go much bigger, a dinner or weekend event would give multiple advocates the opportunity to bring their friends and peers. A strategic presenta- tion of the ministry should be offered, showing the product of the ministry while opening the door to build a new community of significant partners. The bottom line: Action on the part of the development team and the director of the ministry is imperative, and bringing advocates into the mix accelerates the process. Ĩ FINDING FUNDS Barry Durman Courting Major Donors How you and advocates for your mission can build strategic relationships Barry serves as the senior consultant at the Westfall Group in Suwanee, Georgia. He has 35 years of development experience and served at the Atlantic City Rescue Mission for 13 years, including 10 years as president. He can be reached at barry@westfallgroup.net.