Major Gifts Communications Toolkit

A communications “toolkit” is a suite of materials that major gift officers can pick and choose as they work with a prospect.

A robust toolkit will include:

• Architectural renderings and floor plans for capital projects

• Cases for support

• Charts and graphs

• Event invitations

• Handwritten notes

• Infographics

• One-sheets

• Photos

• Planned giving illustrations

• Podcast excerpts (if your organization does a podcast or someone in leadership has appeared on one)

• Proposal templates

• Quotes from those who benefit from donor generosity

• Slide decks

• Stewardship reports

• Testimonials from donors

• Video (ideally short, and always captioned)

With conversations now happening overwhelmingly on Zoom, it’s easier than ever to deploy digital tools during a call on a shared screen and follow up with print by mail.

When in-person visits resume, load up an iPad or laptop. Or, share some tools via email in advance of the meeting and then discuss them together.

Another benefit to using your toolkit is that some donors learn better visually or in writing, retaining more than they would in a conversation. Try different tools to figure out what works best for each individual and for the story you’re telling.

Fully stocking your toolkit is the first step.