"Thank U, Next" Fundraising
Jan 20, 2025In the world of major gift fundraising, relationships ought to be at the heart of the work we do. As I noted in "Affinity Eats Capacity for Breakfast," chasing dollars without alignment to donor values can lead to missed opportunities and eroded trust. With the pressure of ever rising revenue goals, lack of full staffing, or a focus on "getting the gift," some fundraisers fall into the trap of treating donors like transactions. Once the major or mega gift is secured, the focus shifts to the next prospect. Sometimes without even realizing it, fundraisers stop staying in touch with the donor, leaving the donor feeling unappreciated and disconnected from the mission they just supported.
"Philanthropy is a sacred proposition based on trust, and there are no shortcuts to trust."
Barbara G. Stowe
The "thank u, next" approach doesn’t just risk losing future gifts, it undermines trust. Trust is the cornerstone of donor relationships; once broken, trust can be hard to rebuild. All supporters want to feel valued, not just for their financial contributions but for the shared partnership in the mission that inspired their gift. When we fail to maintain the connection with supporter, it sends an unspoken message: “Thanks for the money! Now I'm moving on.”
Why does transactional fundraising happen?
There are a variety of reasons fundraisers may neglect donors after a gift is secured, including:
- Annual Cycle Asking: Only being in touch with a donor to make an ask can erode trust and weaken relationships. Getting in touch for minimal cultivation, then asking the donor to support <issue/ project/ unrestricted>, securing the gift and then going silent for 11 months creates a transactional dynamic. It omits avenues for relationship building.
- Pressure to Meet Metrics: Fundraisers are often measured (sometimes exclusively) by dollars raised, not relationships nurtured, leading to a “chase the next gift” mentality.
- The Thrill of "The Big One": Sometimes fundraisers themselves get caught up in the excitement of closing transformative gifts and then lose focus on maintaining relationships with other donors in their portfolios.
- Misaligned Organizational Culture: Thanking and reporting may be siloed to a stewardship team, leaving fundraisers feeling that it keeping in touch is not their responsibility. Until the next time to ask for a gift, that is!
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Burnout: Overworked fundraisers may deprioritize stewardship amidst competing demands. This might be due to massive portfolio sizes, being unwilling or unable to fill fundraising team positions, or even just being a solo shop with extraordinary goals to achieve.
The Impact of Neglect
When we fail to stay in touch with donors post-gift, the consequences are significant:
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Giving Feels One-Sided: Giving is an expression of a donor's identity and values. When a nonprofit fails to offer meaningful engagement, it may feel alienating and disheartening. This lack of connection diminishes the joy donors feel in supporting the cause and can deter future gifts.
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Donors Feel Used: A donor who feels ignored is less likely to give again, to increase their giving, or even to speak positively about your organization. A colleague shared her experience of making a large, multi-year pledge after a wealth event in her life, Since then, she's received little personal communication. “Making the pledge payments gives me no joy. I was so happy to make the commitment. And now it feels like a chore,” she sighed.
- Trust Erodes: The donor’s confidence in the fundraiser and/ or the organization diminishes, making it a challenge to secure future gifts or deepen the relationship.
- Opportunities Are Missed: A well-stewarded major gift donor is more likely to give again, upgrade their support, and even include your organization in their estate plans. Not every donor wants to become deeply connected to your organization, but with no avenues for connection, it's more likely they won't become connected.
Reach for Solutions: Prioritize Trust and Connection
Here are 5 ways major gift fundraisers (and teams) can lose the "thank u, next" fundraising and build long-term, trust-based relationships with donors:
1. Stay in Touch
Maintain regular communication with the donor - reach out, and make sure it is easy to be in touch with you. The best way is to focus on the person and the relationship and not the dollars you expect to get. This includes offering meaningful updates, authentic expressions of gratitude, and sharing the impact of their gifts and total giving.
2. Build Stewardship Into Your Workflow
Stewardship isn’t just the responsibility of a separate team. Make it part of your ongoing donor relationship management. Schedule check-ins, send personalized thank-yous (notes, videos, emails), and share stories of the impact their gift made. If you have a team that handles stewardship, the fundraiser and the stewardship team should be working hand-in-hand.
3. Focus on Relationship, Not Transaction
As fundraisers, we are the ultimate "translators." We speak of gift amount, revenue goals and dollars in at the office. And with donors, we must focus on relationships, their timing, and impact of donations. For more effective major gift fundraising, see donors as solutions partners. Treat them as the interesting people they are, not answers to your fiscal shortfalls. Share mission moments that align with their values to keep the connection alive.
4. Set Organizational Expectations
Advocate for a culture that values stewardship as much as solicitation. This includes aligning metrics and goals to reward relationship-building, not just dollars raised. Donor behavior at the major and mega gift level may need a unique set of metrics and goals. At one nonprofit, we found that high net worth donors had little interest in showing up at our typical events, Create systems where stewardship is a shared responsibility, not a siloed task.
5. Make Trust a Priority
Trust takes time to build but only moments to lose. Consistency, transparency, and genuine gratitude are the keys to earning and maintaining donor trust. Never underestimate the power of a simple follow-up, a heartfelt thank you, or a short progress report.
Moving from "Thank U, Next" Fundraising
Major gift fundraising isn’t about chasing dollars; success comes from building relationships that last. When we prioritize trust and connection over transactions, we create a stronger foundation for long-term support. Resist the urge to see your portfolio of donors to as a series of "high value targets." Instead, take the time to nurture the relationship, deepen the donor’s connection to your mission, and build a foundation for future success. And leaders can ensure that a culture of philanthropy is in place.
Let’s not fall into the “thank u, next” mentality. Instead, let’s invest in the trust-based fundraising and relationships that drive transformational giving.