Major Gifts For Beginners: What They Are, Why They Matter, And How To Start

Most nonprofits rely on a mix of grants, campaigns, and micro donations to stay afloat. But alongside that everyday work, major gift fundraising can unlock the kind of long-term support that makes real growth possible.

One big, thoughtful donation can fund an entire program and your day-to-day operations, like team payouts and other capital projects.

Major gifts don’t have to come from galas or high-society circles – though those matter too. They’re one part of a broader fundraising strategy, rooted in personal connection, trust, and a donor’s desire to make a bigger impact.

In this guide, you’ll get a clear, beginner-friendly breakdown of what major gifts are, why they matter, and a simple step-by-step process for getting started, even with a tiny team.

What are major gifts?

At a local animal rescue, most donations were under $100, until one longtime volunteer gave $5,000 to help build a new medical wing.

For them, that was a major gift. It wasn’t headline-worthy, but it funded half the project. That’s the point: major gifts are about what pushes your goal. There isn’t a universal number decided as the threshold.

The types that matter for small teams

Complex tax strategies and donor galas, and calculating KPIs are for your future stages. These are the ones you’ll likely see with a small team:

Why do people give big to small nonprofit organizations?

Let’s understand by example: When a former teacher gave $10,000 to a small literacy nonprofit, it wasn’t about recognition or a tax break. She’d once struggled to find books that reflected her students, and saw this org changing that.

Her gift wasn’t random. It was personal, purposeful, and rooted in trust. That’s why people give big: because something clicks emotionally, and they believe their money can drive real change.

In fact, individuals – not corporations or foundations – remain the biggest source of giving in the U.S. In 2024 alone, individuals gave over $392 billion in the U.S. That’s generosity and conviction coming together.

Realistic major gift fundraising scenarios for small teams

You don’t need a million-dollar campaign to secure a major gift. Most big donations start with small, thoughtful steps. Here are three examples that actually happen:

1. A loyal small donor steps up: After giving $25 every month for two years, a longtime supporter increased her donation to $5,000 because a volunteer thanked her and told her about a new program.
2. A local business owner funds a need: A small food pantry needed a new freezer. A board member’s friend – who owned a chain of restaurants – covered the $8,000 cost. They said they just wanted “to help the helpers.”
3. A foundation grows its support: A family foundation initially gave $10,000 for a pilot project. After seeing clear results in the impact report (photos, testimonials, outcomes), they doubled their gift the next year.

Why do small nonprofits need major gifts?

Major gift fundraising can fund months of work. Small teams raise funds for their cause – and for daily operations – by focusing on the few donors who contribute to most of the funding.

Instead of chasing 200 small donations, a single large gift can fund a program, hire a staff member, or cover the rent for an entire year.

Major donors also stick around. They’re more likely to give again, stay engaged, and even open doors to other supporters. This means less time spent on constant donor churn and more time deepening relationships.

Focusing on major gifts thus means you’re thinking smart, not “big”, especially when your team is small and every hour counts. To do that, you need to begin by looking at your donors. Let’s dig further.

Who becomes a major donor, and how to find them?

There’s no formula, but there are patterns. Most major donors share five traits:

Where to start looking

You don’t need to hunt strangers. Your best prospects are already around you:

• Long-time donors and volunteers
• Local business owners
• Past board members
• Beneficiaries or alumni
• Supporters with Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)

For example, someone giving $100/month isn’t necessarily a major donor, but their consistency signals commitment. That kind of donor is a strong prospect for a future major gift, especially if they have capacity and a clear connection to your mission.

What tools do nonprofits need to look for major donors?

You don’t need expensive databases or predictive algorithms. A small team with an easy-to-use fundraising platform and curiosity goes a long way.

Check:

• LinkedIn or Google for job titles and business links
• Local news, foundation annual reports
• Notes in your CRM (or email history) for past interactions
• RallyUp to segment donor profiles, track donor engagement, giving history, and run targeted campaigns with built-in storytelling tools

Start small. Reaching out to the right, well-researched donor is more valuable than 100 cold emails.

How to secure major gifts (beginner roadmap)

When inspiring donors to give big,  the psychological and emotional strategy needs more practice than the technical and practical one. Both approaches are necessary – from giving donors touchpoints to appealing to their giving ambitions.

Step 1: Find donors with similar interests

The first step to approaching a major donor is to find one who is interested in a cause similar to yours. Look at your current supporters. Who shows up? Who gives consistently, even in small amounts? Who tells others about your work?

You’re not trying to find the richest person. You’re trying to find the most aligned person with capacity.

You can also look into your documented donor profiles and pick someone who previously donated generously to encourage recurring donations.

Step 2: Do some light research

Google their name. Check LinkedIn. Do they run a business? Part of a board? Own property? You’re not stalking, you’re learning enough to make a respectful, informed approach.

Step 3: Look into their history of giving

Research your prospect’s past donations, including contributions to charities, private foundations, or political causes.

Understanding their philanthropic interests will give you an idea of whether they would donate to your cause. You can further personalize your approach and encourage their gifts.

Step 4: Prove your cause

Major gifts come because donors know that their contributions are making a difference with your team.

Prove your organization’s credibility to the potential donor by showing pictures, videos, and statistics of how your cause has changed lives. People don’t fund problems, they fund solutions. Don’t just say “we need funding.” Say: “With $10,000, we can serve 500 more meals this winter.”

Tip:  Calculate your Gifts Secured Metric from your previous campaigns to send it to potential major donors as proof.

Step 5: Personalize your approach

Use donors’ names and titles, refer to their history, appreciate their previous donations, and invite questions and address concerns during your appeal.

An in-person appeal with the donors makes a bigger impact than an email, assuring them that you’re ready to go the extra mile for your cause.

Step 6: Making the ask

You’ll know it’s time to ask when there’s rapport, interest, and a clear opportunity.

• Be specific. “Would you consider a $10,000 gift to fund six months of our tutoring program?” lands better than “Anything you can do helps.”
• Frame the ask around impact. Paint the picture: what will their gift do? Who will it reach? How will it feel?

Avoid vague lines like “support us however you like.” Major donors want clarity. They’re not guessing your needs; they’re choosing to meet them.

Step 7: Provide giving options

Donors need flexibility when deciding how to give. Offer clear options like one-time large gifts, multi-year pledges, or gifts through Donor-Advised Funds or wills.

If a monthly donor shows long-term commitment and capacity, they might be ready for a larger, one-time contribution. The goal is to meet donors where they are and make it easy for them to deepen their support when the time is right.

Step 8: Offer recognition and impact reports

Donors like to know the impact of their donations, so offer them impact reports, real outcomes, and transparent updates that show how their gift made a difference.

Keep the relationship warm with thoughtful gestures:

• Handwritten notes
• Behind-the-scenes videos
• Personal messages from beneficiaries
• Invites to small donor events
• Highlight their support in your newsletter or social media (with permission)

Thank them. Then follow up. One major gift often leads to many more, if the relationship stays alive.

Major donor fundraising checklist for nonprofits

To make the first few weeks easier, we’ve included a practical major donor checklist to guide your work. The steps above explain how major gifts work and when each move matters. The checklist below is purely operational.

It helps you execute those steps in the right order, without missing details or duplicating effort. Use it as a working reference while prospecting, researching, and following up.

Final thoughts: Start strong, and let RallyUp help you stay organized

You don’t need a huge staff or years of experience to secure major gifts; you just need a plan, a little consistency, and the confidence to start real conversations.

The relationships you build today can fund next year’s programs, keep your team stable, and bring in the kind of support that doesn’t disappear after one campaign.

Start small. Stay focused. And don’t wait for the “perfect” moment to ask.

If you’re building relationships that could transform your budget, you need tools that won’t slow you down. RallyUp, a fundraising platform with easy-to-use tools, helps small teams look sharp, stay on top of donor touchpoints, and run campaigns that show results.

FAQs about major gifts