# Fundraisers optimistic about major gift income over next two years

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/07/01/fundraisers-optimistic-about-major-gift-income-over-next-two-years/
- Published: 2013-07-01T06:30:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Research by Good Values and the Institute of Fundraising suggests that fundraisers
are optimistic about the state of major gift income. Indeed 95% of the 88 fundraisers
surveyed expected to see an increase in income from this source over the next two
years.

The survey covered charities with a major gifts programme and those that we just
starting out. Of those actively seeking major gifts, almost one third said that 
they had raised over £1 million from this source in the last financial year. Their
average return on investment was 1:9.

The charities that responded to the survey indicated that **it takes most organisations
between 18 months to three years to build a successful major gift fundraising programme**.
That said, only 10% of organisations have a fully developed major gift fundraising
programme.

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Challenges to major gift fundraising

The report identified two areas that could challenge major gift fundraising:

 *  only 30% of the research participants felt that they had a clear and compelling
   Case for Support
 *  recruitment of skilled major gift fundraisers, especially those in senior positions,
   is a challenge for many organisations

Paul Gillespie, Co-Founder and Director of [Good Values](http://www.goodvalues.co.uk/),
said: "This research investigated the practical elements of major gift fundraising
such as cultivation, fundraising models, average income, and return on investment.

"It highlights some critical areas for organisations to focus on if they are to 
deliver real success in major gift fundraising. Notably, the importance of internal
leadership at the most senior level alongside a clear and compelling Case for Support,
as well as the need for a systematic and structured approach to a fundraising discipline
that has been viewed by many as more of an art than a science."

_Photo: [£50 notes in a fan](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-92263831/stock-photo-pound-sterling-bank-notes-closeup-view-business-background.html)
by Hamsterman on Shutterstock.com_

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