027: Boost your major gifts with ‘moves management’

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The 'moves management' system is a great way for you to boost your success in the area of major gift fundraising. Moves management is a way of efficiently but effectively managing the major donors, or prospects, you have in your school community, so in this episode I want to explore what the system is, why you should use it and to outline a five step process to get you started.

Firstly, I consider the 'major gifts pipeline', the way that fundraisers manage people who have the potential to give a major gift to their organisation. I examine the stages of the major gifts pipeline from identification, qualification, cultivation and solicitation to stewardship.

Then, I go on to consider moves management, to explore how the system works and why you should use it in your school. I outline the advantages that can come from systematising the process of moving people along the pipeline, to make it feel personal to prospective donors, but without sacrificing the quantity of prospects you can look after. I look at the benefits it can bring, not only to the school, but to the prospective donors as well.

Finally, I outline a five step process to help your school get started with the process of moves management, starting, not with a database or IT system, but with a brainstorming session. Then I suggest moving through a reflection stage, then organising your ideas and preparing the system itself and, finally, personalising the process for each prospect.