Fundraising is the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations, and at its core are key pillars like grants, events, corporate sponsorships, and—perhaps most importantly—individual donors. While all donors play a vital role, major donors often carry the financial weight that makes big-picture goals possible.
These individuals can make transformative gifts, but earning their support requires more than a compelling mission—it takes intentional effort to find them, build trust, and nurture lasting relationships. That’s where a major gifts officer comes in, bridging your nonprofit’s vision and the philanthropic champions who can make it a reality.
A major gifts officer (MGO) is a fundraising professional responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors capable of making significant financial contributions to a nonprofit organization.
Their primary responsibility is to build and maintain meaningful, long-term relationships with these donors, aligning their philanthropic goals with the organization's mission and needs. Major gifts officers play a crucial role in securing the major gifts that drive impactful initiatives, ensuring the nonprofit can achieve its most ambitious objectives.
A major gifts officer has different roles and responsibilities when interacting with the organization versus with major donors.
Here are the primary roles of a major gifts officer within their organization:
Here are the primary roles of a major gifts officer when interacting with major donors:
Many nonprofits conflate the roles of major gifts officer and director of development, but they are distinct positions with different focuses. A director of development oversees the organization’s entire fundraising strategy, managing teams, campaigns, and various funding streams such as grants, events, and corporate sponsorships.
In contrast, a major gifts officer has a more specialized focus, dedicating their time exclusively to identifying, cultivating, and stewarding high-capacity individual donors. While development involves casting a wide net to secure diverse funding sources, major gifts require a deeply personalized approach, often involving fewer donors but generating significant financial impact. By focusing on high-touch relationship building, a major gifts officer ensures major donors feel uniquely valued, whereas the director of development ensures the overall fundraising ecosystem thrives.
Major gifts officers approach their work with thoughtful, strategic planning to build meaningful relationships and secure transformative contributions. They start by conducting in-depth donor research, using tools like wealth screening and donor analytics to identify individuals with both the capacity and interest to give. Once prospects are identified, major gifts officers craft tailored cultivation plans, taking into account the donor’s philanthropic priorities, communication preferences, and personal connections to the nonprofit’s mission.
A typical strategy includes setting engagement goals, such as hosting one-on-one meetings, inviting donors to exclusive events, or sharing impact stories. Major gifts officers also collaborate with leadership and program teams to align donor interests with specific funding opportunities, ensuring proposals feel personal and compelling.
Additionally, they plan for stewardship by outlining how they will thank donors and keep them informed of their impact, reinforcing the value of their contributions. This strategic, donor-centered approach ensures long-term relationships that sustain major giving efforts.
The four different stages of the fundraising cycle are as follows:
Identification
Cultivation
Solicitation
Stewardship
Major gifts come in various forms, each offering unique opportunities for donors to make a significant impact while aligning their contributions with personal values. These gifts can go beyond simple monetary donations and include other resources or planned giving options. Here are some common types of major gifts:
These various types allow donors to give in ways that best suit their financial situations and philanthropic goals while offering nonprofits diverse avenues of support.
Major gifts officers are an essential component of any nonprofit’s fundraising team. Their specialized focus on cultivating relationships with high-capacity donors sets them apart from general fundraising roles, enabling nonprofits to fully leverage the power of their funding pillars. By securing transformative gifts, major gifts officers drive impactful initiatives that help organizations achieve their mission.
Building a strong leadership team, including a skilled major gifts officer, is crucial for nonprofits aiming to thrive in today’s competitive fundraising landscape. At DickersonBakker, we specialize in providing talent solutions to help you find and develop the right leaders for your organization. With our expertise, you can confidently build a team that maximizes your fundraising potential and ensures long-term success.