Focus: The Missing Ingredient in Many Major Gift Programs
Major gift programs are often expected to deliver transformational results. When they stall, the instinct is to add more donors, more outreach, or more activity. In reality, the most common missing ingredient is focus.
Without clarity around priorities, portfolios, and expectations, even well-resourced major gift programs struggle to gain traction.
The Cost of Overextension
Many organizations assign major gift officers portfolios that are too large or too unfocused. Donors are grouped together without clear prioritization, making it difficult to build meaningful relationships.
Over time, this leads to:
Reactive donor engagement
Inconsistent stewardship
Missed opportunities for deeper giving
Frustration for both donors and staff
When everything is a priority, nothing is.
Right-Sizing for Impact
Effective major gift programs are built around intentional focus:
Clear criteria for major donor qualification
Manageable portfolios aligned with staff capacity (50-75 prospects)
Thoughtful stewardship plans
Realistic revenue expectations
This structure allows fundraisers to spend time building trust and understanding donor motivation.
Aligning Expectations Across the Organization
Focus is not just a fundraising issue. It requires alignment among leadership and boards as well. Unrealistic expectations around major gifts often stem from misunderstandings about how long relationship-based fundraising takes.
Strategic advising helps organizations:
Set realistic goals for major gift growth
Align board expectations with staff capacity
Establish systems that support consistent stewardship
When expectations are aligned, major gift programs become more effective and more humane.
Focus Creates Momentum
Major gift fundraising is not about volume. It is about depth. When organizations embrace focus, they create conditions where authentic relationships can flourish and revenue follows.
Wanda Scott & Associates provides strategic advising to help organizations strengthen major gift programs through clarity, focus, and realistic expectations.