The Lone Fundraiser’s Guide
to Bringing in the Big Gifts
Lois Momoh
Key Relationship Manager
Samaritan’s Purse UK
6 November 2014
• Passion
• Belief
• Knowledge
• Bringing in major gits requires
everyone in the organisation to
fundraise
• Direct and field others to make
the ask as well as making the
ask yourself
About National Museums Liverpool
• A nationally funded museums group in Liverpool,
UK
• Over 2m visitors a year
• Liverpool is the 8th poorest city in Europe
• Fundraising outside of London is tough
• Existing Transatlantic Slavery Gallery and
academic networks - from this the idea for a new
international museum grew
• The right time the right place – 200th year of the
abolition of the British Slave Trade and Liverpool’s
800th birthday
• Full steam ahead from autumn 2006 giving 18
months to develop the first phase of the project
and complete funding
Next steps – Raising £7.8m in 18
months
How ?
• Made the project truly international – focused
first on USA
• Used events as a mechanism to elevate
organisational thinking
• Researched – politicians, advocates, opinion
formers, like minded people, existing supporters,
potential supporters
• Set up a fundraising council and an American
Friends organisation to facilitate credibility
• Drew up a gift table and had a systematic
approach to making applications and for donor
and stewardship management
Key steps in establishing the
major donor programme
•Clear major donor fundraising strategy that is aligned with
the mission, ethos and values of the organisation
•Buy in from all trustees and staff
•Realistic targets and expectations
•UK based major donor development board
•Quality prospect research
• Sound information management
International Slavery Museum –
building momentum
Events schedule
• November 2005, dinner in Liverpool
• March 2006, House of Lords reception, London
• May 2006, cocktail reception British Consul New York
• January 2007, dinner US Ambassador’s residence, London
• March 2007, cocktail reception UK Ambassador’s residence
Washington
• July 2007, networking, Atlanta
• August 2007, grand gala opening, Liverpool
Practicalities
• Research and donor management programme
• Networking
• Targeting key partnerships
• Moving forward relationships using “moves management”
• Recognise who will not fund you
• Don’t waste time
Success
•Raised £7.8m from 283 gifts, majority from 10
gifts
•65% from public sector, 25% individuals and
trusts
•UK government part funding annual running
costs
•Launched a membership scheme and newsletter
•36,000 visitors in first 4 weeks which exceeded
expectations
•Development of an international network of
friends
Building the momentum without a
capital appeal
• Example: CAFOD major giving ‘From poverty
to Opportunity’ £10 million campaign by
2016
Major Gift Fundraising
What I’ve learnt in 9 years
• It doesn’t work without the full support of all staff
and trustees
• Development boards work if they have the right
people on them.
• Peer to peer fundraising works.
• Major donor phone and face to face contact works
– including speaking to all individuals who give
£500+.
• Existing donors, mid-level campaign and prospect
events
•Investment in prospect research is a vitally
important.
•Organisations need to allow their major donor
fundraisers to feel ownership of their projects to
enable them to shine!
Working for Christian organisations
• Church relationships
• Praying with and for donors
• Stewardship of God’s resources
• Christian expectations
Thank You
Any questions?