Encore Three Things AC Apr 2026 | Alexander Haas

April 9, 2026

These Three Things

by Arthur C. Criscillis, Ed.D.
Managing Partner

When we present prospects with a major gift proposal—whether written or verbal—we need to clearly explain what we are asking that prospect to fund. In short, we must be able to communicate its impact—how it will make a difference. That is crucial.

When we present a major gift proposal to a prospect, we are generally asking that prospect to help our organization fund something impactful, which will allow us to do one of three things. I have found it helpful in developing the case for a given proposal to consider these three key elements.

First, we might ask the prospect to help our organization do something new that we haven’t been able to do before due to lack of resources. This new program, piece of equipment, or initiative will make us even stronger.

Second, we might ask that prospect to help us do more of something we already excel at. We could serve more people or expand the reach of an important program. By doing even more of a highly effective part of our organization, we strengthen our ability to fulfill our mission.

Third, we might ask the prospect to help us improve something we are already doing. Enhancing an existing program boosts its effectiveness and benefits for those we serve. In doing so, our organization will perform its mission even more effectively.

Simply put, when we ask for a major gift, we are typically requesting that donor prospect to help us do something new, more, or better. That said, there can be times when a gift includes elements of more than one or even all three. For example, a donor might be asked to consider making a naming gift for a college within a university—a gift that is usually quite substantial. Such a gift could have several components—like new endowed chairs, additional or new scholarship or graduate assistantships, or enhanced or new programs. Because that one gift has multiple components, each one will present the “new, more, or better” rationale.

These three—considering them as you develop your case for a major gift proposal—may prove to be helpful. It has been for me.

Monthly Giving is Important

David King on the secret weapon of sustainable fundraising.

“The frequency of giving is one of the main criteria we use to determine ‘Affinity’ when working with organizations on predictive modeling and donor segmentation. People who give more often are considered more “committed,” regardless of how much they give.”

Monthly giving reliably generates significant revenue because donors stay committed to the programs and can assist nonprofits in securing urgently needed funds.

Start a Monthly Donor Program
Fundraising software for websites can ask donors if they want to change a one-time gift into a monthly gift.

Pitfalls to Avoid With Monthly Giving
Don’t wait. Start thinking about the program name, its purpose, and create a warm welcome email series to engage monthly donors.
Don’t overlook first-time donors. Millennials and others familiar with the subscription economy are open to this kind of giving, so simply ask.
Don’t make it complicated, but success requires more than just technology. Monthly giving programs need a name and a purpose that invite donors to become part of something.

Care Is Key to Sustaining Monthly Donors
Regular communication with monthly donors, especially when it prompts a response, can benefit your program.
Perhaps add polls and questions to online forms so responses can be directly stored in the database.
Recognizing important moments also helps strengthen relationships with donors. Celebrate volunteers’ birthdays and host numerous in-person events to foster connections.

More here.

Declining Fundraising Isn’t Too Many Emails

Jaci Thiede says talk, don’t just ask.

“There is some very good food for thought here about the right frequency and messaging to use in your donor appeals. But another really important step is to actually ask your donors how they feel about your communications and appeals. Don’t just ask the most connected people in your organization—reach out to some non-donors or occasional donors. Asking them and truly listening shows you care about their opinions and helps build trust. You might even turn them into more regular donors, and their insights could make your communications more effective.”

When your organization sees a decline in donations, you might think it’s because you’re asking too often, sending too many emails, or encountering donor fatigue. Don’t pull back. Enhance what and how you communicate. Strengthen your donor relationships.

Here are some tips that can help.

Rebalance Your Content Mix: Review and audit your last 10 donor communications. If you notice that most or all of your messages are asks, you’re putting too much pressure on your donors. Consider using this messaging sequence: impact, gratitude, vision, ask.

Replace Vague Impact With Specific Outcomes: Instead of saying something like “Your generosity makes a difference,” get more specific: “Because of you, 150 families had emergency shelter during this past winter.” Specificity demonstrates competence. Competence fosters trust.

Lower the Urgency Temperature: Use it only when there’s a real need. As your supporters know, urgency is rare and should be used sparingly. Communicate with the steadiness of what you’re accomplishing and the confidence that, together with the donor, you’ll be able to do even more.

Deepen Personalization Beyond Name Fields: You’ve probably heard this message a thousand times: personalize. But I’m not talking about just inserting a first name in an email. If you want to create fundraising magic, reference personal details like meetings, calls, last gifts, or their long-term support (such as the number of years they’ve been giving).

Close the Loop Every Time: Whether someone donates $1 (which might be all they can give) or $50,000, ensure your supporters understand the impact of their contribution by completing the story. In other words, share how this particular chapter of the story concludes.

More here.

Have a Plan Ready for When Big Gifts Surprise You

Jaci Thiede shares a brief but crucial piece on planning.

“I’ve said it before: planning matters and can have an immediate impact when an unexpected gift falls into your lap. Big surprise gifts sound great—until you’re scrambling to figure out how to manage and steward them. This short piece from Philanthropy.com explains how nonprofits can be prepared when an unexpected major gift arrives. It’s a good reason to gather colleagues and ensure that advancement, the business office, investments, etc., are all aligned.”

Receiving an unexpected large gift can be exciting and overwhelming, and they happen more often than you might think. Regardless of where it comes from, a sudden influx of money may require you to rethink your financial plans and management structures.

Don’t get caught off guard and scramble to spend a large gift wisely. Develop a windfall policy to help your organization avoid impulsive decisions and focus on a strategic approach.

Before developing the policy, align your investment and fundraising strategies. When investment decisions and fundraising priorities work together, each supports long-term goals rather than conflicting. Also, ensure your governance policies are well-organized. The foundation of good governance is a fiduciary mindset among trustees. Whether you are starting an endowment or managing one, make sure your governance policies are solid, then create a policy that explains how you would handle a windfall gift.

Here are five steps to write a windfall policy.

Take a financial inventory of your short-term and long-term needs. It should include how money is spent, saved, and invested. Planning ahead helps ensure immediate priorities are met while also considering future sustainability.

Create an investment policy statement (IPS). A solid statement reflects the nonprofit investor’s risk profile and goals — whether or not there is a formal endowment. Clearly specify who is responsible for asset allocation, portfolio construction, and manager selection. Then, hold investment committee meetings to review performance, discuss emerging trends, and ensure all voices are heard.

Establish clear procedures for managing endowment and quasi-endowment funds. Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and lines of authority among trustees, committees, and advisers.

Share windfalls with key stakeholders, including trustees, beneficiaries, board members, staff, investment advisers, and consultants. While transparency can boost morale and demonstrate confidence to other donors, announcing a major gift also risks sending the message that financial needs are now diminished.

Create a strategic endowment plan (SEP). The SEP serves as a roadmap for growing an organization’s endowment; it outlines the vision for what the funds will achieve, the goals, and strategies for reaching those goals. It brings together diverse stakeholders, unifies the organization around a common direction, and clarifies what success looks like and how it will be measured.

More here.

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Stonington, ME

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For more than 35 years, Alexander Haas has been a fixture in the nonprofit community. We are honored to have worked with leading performing arts and cultural organizations across the country that help communities be a better place to live. Just ask our clients.

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Our services aren’t cookie cutter. We don’t operate with a boilerplate, merely changing names and locations. We craft each and every service we provide to match your organization’s unique needs, wants and abilities. We work hard and expect you to do the same. Together we can help you transform your arts organization, your fundraising, and the unique community you serve.

Whether your need is in Capital Campaign, Annual Fund Campaign, Major Gifts, Leadership Annual Giving, Planned Giving or all of the above, we take a fresh approach to nonprofit fundraising.