December 7, 2020
Proof that Donors
are Giving Big

Written by Jessica Browning, MBA, Principal and Executive Vice President

Donors are giving. It’s a message we’ve been sending since the early days of the pandemic. 

But we’re revising that message based on what we’ve seen in the past month. Donors aren’t just giving…they’re stretching. It’s why we’re predicting that nonprofits will see substantial major gifts before 2020 ends.

A few of the transformational gifts our clients have received:

• A healthcare system in Texas successfully solicited three 7-figure gifts for their campaign in November.
• An independent school in South Carolina has raised more than $3 million in campaign pledges since July.  Another school we’re working with in Virginia secured $1.2 million in the same period.
• An animal shelter here in South Carolina received an unsolicited $500,000 gift from a new donor who learned about their need for a new facility.
• Another one of our partners, a history organization in Washington, DC, recently received a $1 million and a $300,000 commitment.
• A university in Georgia received a $150,000 gift for a new facility.
• A healthcare organization in Nashville paused its capital campaign during the pandemic and is still receiving support.  In the past two months, their campaign has secured a $250,000 and a $50,000 commitment.

What do these gifts have in common?

They were all made in response to a bold vision for what’s next.  Donors, exhausted by the pandemic, are looking to the future and giving to ensure the causes they care deeply about thrive post-pandemic.  They’re using their gifts to show their commitment to the causes, universities, and churches they love.

As you look towards 2021, make sure you’re ready for these transformational gifts by making your case for the future.  Otherwise, your donors will look elsewhere.

And if you are hesitant to consider launching a capital campaign in the coming months, don’t be.  There has never been a better time to consider a campaign backed by a big and transformational vision for your future.

For more proof that donors are giving, read this blog by Winkler Group Principal, Founder, and CEO Tim Winkler about Counterintuitive Fundraising.

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