Mastering Moves Management: The Key to Fundraising Success

By Andrew Robison, President of Petrus Development

In the world of nonprofit fundraising, the key ingredient in every successful development officer's strategy is a relentless focus on face-to-face visits. While other annual targets and goals are important, nothing is as crucial as getting in front of donors and prospects at least 180-200 times per year—or even more. When you prioritize these in-person interactions, all other fundraising goals naturally fall into place.

Why Face-to-Face Visits Are Vital for Fundraising Success

Face-to-face visits are integral to a process called Moves Management, which is the strategic approach to cultivating and soliciting major gifts. This process includes four key types of visits: Qualification, Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship.

Regularly meeting with donors and prospects allows development officers to develop intentional strategies that move these individuals closer to making significant contributions to the organization. Although this may sound complex, it’s fundamentally about building relationships and understanding your donors' passions and capacity to support your mission.

Let's delve into each stage of the Moves Management process:

1. Qualification: The First Step in Donor Engagement

Qualification visits, also known as Discovery or Introduction calls, are often your first contact with a potential donor. The goal of these visits is to determine if there is sufficient interest and major gift potential to warrant further investment in the relationship. As resources are limited, it's essential to focus on individuals with the interest and capacity to make a major gift. This process involves evaluating three key factors: Linkage, Interest, and Ability (LIA).

• Linkage: Understanding how your prospects are connected to your organization. Are they alumni? Have they previously donated?
• Interest: Identifying what aspects of your ministry resonate with them.
• Ability: Assessing their financial capacity to contribute meaningfully.

A qualified donor is someone who has the potential and willingness to make a significant donation to your organization.

2. Cultivation: Nurturing Donor Relationships

The next stage is Cultivation, which involves any interaction that moves a donor closer to making a major gift. Donor engagement can and should be accomplished through a variety of activities, but there must be a face-to-face component of cultivation for a major gift prospect to fully engage.

Cultivation visits can vary widely—from formal office meetings to casual encounters at social events. The key is to build genuine relationships with your donors, learning about their families, interests, and passions, while also educating them about your organization’s mission.

A common question is how many cultivation visits are necessary before making an ask. The answer varies depending on the individual. Some donors are ready to give after just a few meetings, while others require more time to build trust and understanding. 

3. Solicitation: Making the Ask

At the heart of development work is Solicitation—asking donors to consider making a major gift. While this can be intimidating, viewing it as an opportunity to invite donors into a partnership rather than simply asking for money can transform the experience.

A successful solicitation meeting should involve a specific request for a financial contribution, ideally supported by a written proposal. This proposal serves as a professional and thoughtful outline of the project you’re pitching, helping to solidify the ask.

4. Stewardship: Sustaining Donor Relationships

The final, and perhaps most critical, stage is Stewardship—expressing gratitude and ensuring donors feel valued for their contributions.

Effective stewardship is crucial for donor retention and long-term success. Research shows that only 37% of donors give again the year after their initial donation. However, increasing your retention rate by just 10% could double your revenue over four years. This underscores the importance of ongoing engagement and appreciation.

Setting Goals for Face-to-Face Visits

A full-time development officer should aim to conduct at least 180 face-to-face visits annually, with an ideal distribution across Qualification, Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship. New development officers may focus more on Qualification, while more experienced officers will likely have a balanced mix of all four types of visits.

Summary: Embracing Moves Management for Long-Term Success

Moves Management is not just a set of rules; it’s a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of personal interaction with donors. By getting out of the office and meeting with donors regularly, development officers can forge stronger relationships, leading to more significant and sustained support for their organizations.

As Mike Perkins, President and CEO of Heroic Media, says, “True philanthropy is giving with JOY in our hearts.” Understanding your donors allows you to be part of that joyful giving process, creating a fulfilling experience for both you and your supporters.

Andrew N. Robison is President of Petrus Development. He has worked  in development roles in Catholic campus ministry, higher education and academic medicine. Andrew works with organizations of all sizes to build sustainable development programs that allow them to better serve their constituencies.