Heart Over Hustle – RAPS: Scale Your 2025 Major Gifts
It’s going to be a GREAT year!
Wherever you landed at the end of last year was perfect. Really. You and your givers pulled together to invest in your mission just as it should be! And the best part? They are STILL your givers. Your relationships with them are not defined by what you received from them in 2024—but by how well you showed them your heart, beyond the hustle that may have driven you to hit your numbers.
As I approach four decades of inspiring generosity and helping my clients achieve major giving success, I’ve seen many Januarys and Decembers come and go. I’ve also felt that December terror—the “would’ve, should’ve, could’ve” panic. You know, when you think, “How do I call them now and ask for BIG money when I haven’t talked to them in months? UGH!”
Sure, there are ways to handle those overdue December conversations—but let’s focus on a better way to enter December with calm and excitement!
RAP IT!
That’s a Relationship ACTION Plan™ (RAP)
A Relationship Action Plan is your 12-month Major Gift Cultivation Calendar—a joyful, artful, and giver-focused strategy. In a nutshell, it’s easier to take the next step when you know what the next step is—or at least have a roadmap you can adjust as needed.
Oh, I know. You have it all in your head. Wrong.
When Gladys Snodgrass pops into your mind, and you suddenly realize you haven’t seen her in months, you panic and leave a scrambled message about grabbing coffee ASAP.
These sporadic, last-minute actions make you uncomfortable—and your donor, too. But a thoughtful plan transforms you from reactive to proactive, random to consistent, crisis to calm.
RAPS lead to lifelong, authentic relationships. Ahhhhhh.
I spend A LOT of time with my clients mapping this out on a whiteboard (I LOVE whiteboards!), but let me give you a simple overview to get started:
- Chart It Out
- On a spreadsheet, list every event, ceremony, newsletter, and mailing across the top by month. These are your built-in touchpoints!
- Identify Universal Touches
- What happens to EVERY donor? Across the spreadsheet, mark what every donor receives—your alumni magazine, gala invite, 5K walk, thankathon, etc.
- Segment Your Givers
- Who are your major donors? Who are your mid-level donors? Is there a segment ($1,000–$4,000) you’d like to inspire toward a $5,000 or $10,000 gift this year? And what about smaller donors you connect with via direct mail, email, social media, or in-person group visits?
- The most personalized and detailed plans should focus on your top-tier major givers.
- Dig Deeper for Major Donors
- Across the page, create columns and answer these questions for each major donor:
- What options for giving are they MOST interested in?
- What’s your best guess for their potential investment?
- Who can help engage them in the giving conversation?
- What do you know from their past giving?
- Across the page, create columns and answer these questions for each major donor:
- Plan Your Outreach
- For each month, schedule a mix of personal visits, calls, or texts. Start with the obvious (birthdays, anniversaries, favorite events), then layer in tours, small gatherings for their input, special holidays, and updates on what their money is truly accomplishing.
- Sometimes just say thanks. Sometimes ask what excites them most about your work right now.
- Engage others WITH YOU.
- Make the Ask
- Connect the dots to what matters most to them and craft your ask using Marcy’s 3-sentence formula!
There’s only one thing left to do—THE RAPS!
Set aside 4-6 half-days to work on this. It’s best done in a group—with great food, of course!
RAP your way to scaling and repeating lifelong giving relationships.
Invest in Joy™
