It isn't enough to secure the first donation and think you secured a donor. An initial donation starts the journey of cultivating a relationship with an investor. This year make a PLAN to grow your donor investments:

1. Make a list of all donors/givers/investors in previous two years. Make sure you know HOW much they gave, HOW they gave (annual campaign response, fundraiser, result of specific ask, etc.), to what they gave, and their giving history with your organization.

2. Make a plan for how you will grow their donations/gifts/investments in 2023. What makes sense given their previous pattern of giving, how much they may be able to give, how much it makes sense to grow their gift, etc. For example, rarely will someone jump from a $250 donation to a $5,000 donation. Or, if someone gave as a response to a fundraiser where you emphasized a particular part of your organization, you may have reason to think they would be inclined to further support that part of your organization. Do your homework on each donor and make your plan.

3. Cultivate means building relationship. It isn't about you, it's about the donor. What part of your organization is appealing to them? How can you help them meet their philanthropic/charitable goals? Build a relationship by listening more than talking.

Donor development is a marathon, not a sprint. Cultivate and build a relationship for the long-haul , not the quick grab and you'll see your investment grow over time.