Major Gift Fundraising: Intention Over Activity

I recently wrapped up six weeks with a group of fundraisers in the Major Gift Coaching Cohort, and one theme kept surfacing: in major gifts, activity is easy—intention is what makes the difference.

Fundraisers often fill their calendars with check-ins, updates, and “just keeping in touch” conversations. While those touchpoints feel productive, they don’t always move a donor closer to action. That’s the difference between effort and progress.

🔥 Tough Love & Fundraising Truth: Being busy isn’t the same as being effective.

Every donor meeting should have a purpose: to learn something new, advance the relationship, or prepare for an ask. If it doesn’t, it’s just noise.

Another lesson that stood out: the role of clarity in building confidence. Too often, we think confidence comes from personality or charisma. In reality, it comes from knowing exactly what you’re asking, why it matters, and why this donor is the right partner.

🎯 Major Gift Coaching Insight: “Confidence comes from clarity.”

The fundraisers I worked with saw the shift when they stopped chasing every possible conversation and instead focused on intentional moves that built momentum. That’s when cultivation started to feel authentic, asks felt natural, and stewardship felt like the beginning of the next gift—not the end of the last one.

Fundraising can feel like a solo sport, but when we take time to reflect, share, and practice with others, it becomes clear: the most effective fundraisers aren’t the busiest. They’re the most intentional.