Nonprofit Essentials

Major Gifts

Walker, Julia I.

The AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series

1. Edition May 2006
240 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd

ISBN: 978-0-471-73837-4

John Wiley & Sons

Sample Chapter

Further versions

"Major gifts are at the heart of any coordinated, successful
fundraising effort. Julie Walker shows you how to do it all-- find
the prospects, staff the program, and ask for the money. The
sidebar stories and real-world examples sprinkled throughout the
book are entertaining, yet still make a point. I would buy it for
the advice and keep it for the anecdotes."

--Duris Holmes, Chairman of the Board Benjamin Franklin High School
New Orleans, Louisiana

Part of the AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series, Nonprofit
Essentials: Major Gifts is a professional guide to major gift
fundraising, concisely presented in a format that is accessible,
lively, and easy-to-read. With in-depth advice from experienced
fundraiser Julia Walker, this book takes the reader from the early
stages of establishing a program through the core elements of all
major gift programs: identifying and rating prospects; preparing
the case; training volunteers; cultivating donors; making the ask;
and providing recognition and stewardship for the gift. Its
nuts-and-bolts presentation focuses on how to create a
prospect-centered program that develops the capacity to engage and
solicit donors, effectively based on their unique interests and
needs.

Introduction.

1 Introduction to Major Gifts.

2 Building a Major Gifts Program.

3 Board Leadership.

4 Making the Case for a Major Gift.

5 Cultivation of Major Gift Prospects.

6 Soliciting Major Gifts.

7 Motivating Donors: Recognition and Stewardship.

8 Special Opportunities in Major Gifts.

Appendix.

Index.

"This comprehensive volume covers major gifts extensively and integrates this area of development into the overall field. In the current economic situation, where more and more attention is being paid to major donors as other areas lag, it is a timely, complete and helpful addition to the quality resources available to us." (CharityChannel.com, 9/8/08)

Julia Ingraham Walker has been a fundraising professional for over twenty years in the Gulf South. Her professional background is in major gifts. During her tenure at Tulane University, she hired, supervised, and directed the activity of a large staff of major gift officers both in and out of campaigns for over ten years. As a consultant to numerous capital campaigns over the past six years, she has had significant experience developing strategy on major gift fundraising for a diverse group of non-profits. Her experience ranges from museums to secondary schools, arts organizations, community nonprofits, and institutions of higher education.

J. I. Walker, New Orleans