Meet the major donors you haven’t met yet.
The biggest giving season of the year is approaching.
Your organization says major gifts are a priority. But every week, grants, events, operations and programs push donor development aside. We give major giving a dedicated senior team, system and execution rhythm without requiring you to build another department first.
We help charities find aligned donors, start real conversations and build major giving programs that generate revenue before year-end and beyond.
From strategy and prospect research to outreach, team training and hands-on execution, we help your organization turn major giving into work that actually gets done.
For charities or nonprofits with a program delivery partnership.
Major giving has changed
Most charities haven’t changed with it.
The share of charitable dollars coming from major donors keeps growing. But many charities still spend most of their fundraising time reaching people closest to the cause who don't usually represent the largest giving amounts.
That leaves leadership working harder on events, campaigns, grants and small-dollar appeals while major donor relationships remain underdeveloped.
You need a major giving system your organization can actually sustain.
Do not wait until December to start looking for December’s donors.
Book a 30-minute call to discuss how ready you are feeling for your year end campaign, what is keeping the major stuck and what your organization can realistically put in motion before year-end.
If we can help, we will explain what working together could look like.
Built for registered charities or nonprofits with a program delivery partnership.
Major Giving Shouldn't Live Off the Side of Someone's Desk
Major-Giving Support
The Hidden Foundation Find
"I came across a newly incorporated family foundation on
the CRA site with no giving history. My cold outreach got a “we’ve already spent our money” reply. I sent back a simple thank-you and the next message was, “Actually, we found some.”
That turned into a five-figure donation and, the following year, a three-year pledge at an even higher level."
Takeaway → Smart research and persistence can uncover
hidden funders who are mission-aligned
and grateful to be found.
Stop Waiting for Introductions, Start Reaching New Major Donors Today.
Ask early, honour consent, let donors choose the pace.
Book a call to discuss major-donor strategy, training or execution for your charity.
Strike-Day
QR Code WIN
"During the Canada Post strike end of last year,
I made a list of local private foundation directors and hand-delivered mail to their homes.
One of them scanned the printed QR code and
made a major gift by credit card
online that same day."
Takeaway → Precision-targeted hyperlocal direct mail
can convert immediately into online major gifts,
even during a mail strike.
Major gift case studies tend to spotlight exceptional wins. This campaign, led by GET Fundraising’s Eric Shinn at a mid-sized charity, offers something more useful: a realistic look at how a new major donor acquisition campaign develops.
CASE STUDY
Mid-Sized Charity with no major gift officer. Gifts before year end, plus warm leads for next year.
$90,500 in total funding offered
$40,500 accepted · $50,000 declined
The charity had no major gift officer and few relationships with private foundations. GET Fundraising researched approximately 600 prospects and selected 150 for a focused campaign.
Initial emails went out over two weeks in September. A second wave of direct mail followed in December. Together, the outreach generated 25 replies, 12 meetings and four funding opportunities.
PIPELINE
Prospecting needed to create a valuable pipeline
TIMELINE
How the results developed over roughly 6 months
RESULTS
Accepted funding included $10,500 in immediate gifts and a further three-year commitment of $10,000 per year. A fourth prospect offered $50,000 in restricted funding, which the charity declined.
$90,500 in total funding offered = $40,500 accepted commitments
3 New Major donors (2% conversion) · 4 prospects offered funding (3% conversion)
Why This Matters
Major gift revenue and return on investment are lagging indicators. Long before the money arrives, replies, meetings, invitations to submit proposals and agreed next steps show which relationships are moving.
These leading indicators reveal the health and projected value of the pipeline as it develops.
Our Approach
We shoot for outsized returns and report on what is real.
We track relationship progress against current market benchmarks and your organization’s own engagement and conversion data. Your leadership and board see where the pipeline is building, where its potential value sits and whether the work is on track.
*These results are not predictive of future campaign performance.
Cold Outreach to New Major Donor Prospects
The Million-Dollar Multi-Touch
"A classic case showing what it often takes to land a new donor meeting from cold outreach involved following up with three phone calls, three emails, and a mailed letter over three months.
That steady rhythm led to a phone meeting, then an email invite to submit a funding request, then an invite to make a million-dollar in-person pitch."
Takeaway → Major gifts often take layered, multi-channel
touchpoints to unlock high-stakes in-person
solicitation opportunities.
Timing makes a difference
“I've learned so much from Eric and my career in fundraising would not be where it is without his guidance as a Senior Manager. He's not only great at the art of fundraising, but has an extraordinary ability to build great connections with his teams and donors. He's an empathetic and caring soul who believes in changing the world for the better. He's also just a great guy to have around the workplace.”
Iain Conlon
Senior Fundraising Manager, Public Outreach Canada
The Stand-Up Marathon
"While canvassing on a downtown campus street, I recognized a popular comedian and stopped him in his tracks with a quick pitch.
He agreed on the spot to do a fundraising dare for the campaign, and the next month raised over $25,000 by streaming a 24-hour standup marathon."
Takeaway → Spotting opportunity and asking quickly
can trigger outsized impact.
Eric Shinn,
Fundraising Expert
"It’s not about knowing the right people anymore—it’s about reaching values aligned new people. Even one yes can transform your fundraising results."
25 yrs of experience
Fundraising Mastery: 10,000 hours over 10 years
"Over ten years at Public Outreach and as a consultant, I have dedicated my career to working on client campaigns for social justice, humanitarian, animal welfare and environmental causes, including the following" - Eric Shinn
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Timing is leverage
Most giving happens OCT to DEC
so line up new meetings and make respectful asks now
Your mission needs money to move.
Let’s talk about what you want to make possible and how stronger fundraising could get you there.
The Two-Minute Lifetime Donor
"During a monthly campaign, a homeowner in a wealthy neighbourhood invited me in. My 20-second pitch about the urgent need for recurring gifts led to an immediate four-figure annual commitment, spread across monthly donations.
Three years later, he remembered me, confirmed he was still giving monthly, and pledged to match that same support to an adjacent charity."
Takeaway → A clear, concise ask can spark loyalty that lasts
for years and spreads across causes.
Who we work best with?
GET works with established charities that are ready to make major giving a serious part of their revenue strategy.
You do not need a fully formed major giving program. You do need established programs, leadership commitment and a willingness to act.
Major-giving support,
built around your needs
Frequently asked questions
Ideas that Move Big Donations
Insights for major-gift growth
We partner with trusted nonprofit tools to speed up setup, training, and results
Software Partners
We are platform-neutral, we work with what you already use, and your data stays yours.
Our go-to donor management system for clean data, pipeline tracking and practical fundraising reporting.
High-converting donation technology that creates a faster, easier online giving experience.
Partnerships simply mean faster support, smoother integrations, and best-practice configurations for your team.
