http://www.elevationgrowth.com/

Elevation Growth Partners, 5550 Tech Center Drive, Colorado Springs, CO (2026)

08/04/2022

Tim Gunsolley here, we are so close to finishing our program for building a “Million Dollar Caseload.” The program is the culmination of years of experience and proven strategies for raising major gifts. We have been working on this for several years, several iterations and finally we will be releasing the program at the end of this month! (the 22nd to be exact, mark your calendar)

But before we do, I have 2 questions. Can you help us out?

You can answer the questions here and get a little more detail on the Million Dollar Caseload: https://elevationgrowth.wufoo.com/forms/the-million-dollar-caseload/

P.S. Excited and want to talk about Million Dollar Caseload in your organization? Book a call with me and we’ll explore what’s next in your journey. https://calendly.com/tim-227/mdc-launch?month=2022-08

07/15/2022

Heard a great (but rarely heard story) from one of our clients recently. See below.

But first, we’re talking this month about building a Million-Dollar Caseload for each relationship manager on your team – annually.

Today, we’re focused on the type of major donors we call “Bread-and-Butter Donors.” These good folks are giving significantly – from $25,000 to $75,000 or more every year.

They are your bread and butter, accounting for 50% of your caseload.

Some have been giving for years. You can take their gift to the bank, count on it.

They’re stable and consistent. They don’t need tons of cultivation, a meaningful visit 2-4 times a year. A significant project to fund.

However, some are stuck at the same level even though they have greater capacity.

Here’s 4 things to do with your Bread-and-Butter donors.

1. Keep them engaged. They’ve slotted you in at a certain giving level. Don’t take them for granted.

2. Cast a bigger vision. This is all about showing how many more people could be helped through the organization’s big vision.

3. Test a 10x giving offer. Unbelievably testing a significantly higher amount may motivate a deeper engagement. Make sure the project is one that is at the bullseye of their giving motivation.

4. Invite to an immersion event, and expand their vision and experience with your ministry.

Funny story. At one of our immersion events – a weekend event for high-net-worth donors – a couple shared their giving story. On the drive to the resort, the wife was complaining to the husband why they even accepted the invitation to attend. They further agreed to give no more than $10,000 at the event.

The ministry did such a fantastic job casting vision and building relationship, the couple increased their giving by 15 times.

The million-dollar caseload must have bread-and-butter donors - they are truly, well, your bread and butter. There’s tremendous opportunity for growth if treated correctly. Need some ideas for how to lift your donors?

Download 6 Strategies for Lifting Your Next Gift: https://elevationgrowth.clickfunnels.com/optin1657820695675

We’re taking applications now for The Million Dollar Caseload Program which will begin in just a few weeks. Our capacity for the program is limited to those who have the capacity and commitment to growth. You can learn more here: https://elevationgrowth.wufoo.com/forms/zrq4p3b18wz28q/

07/15/2022

In the next few articles, I’ll focus on the construction of a 7-figure caseload – a caseload of donors who annually contribute at least a million dollars to your organization per relationship manager.

The Caseload consists of three major gift categories:
Big Donors,
Bread and Butter Donors, and
Beginning Donors (but still major)

In our experience, all three are necessary to create a growing and sustainable caseload.

Let’s start at the top – Big Donors.

Simply stated, it is impossible to build a million-dollar caseload without big donors – donors contributing at the $250,000 level or more.

But it IS possible. And the first step is to make sure you’re fishing in the right pond – or in this case, ocean.

Think of trying to catch a 1000-pound tuna in a mid-west lake. It’s just not going to work.

Apologies for the fishing analogy – it is imperfect – but helpful. So, what are the characteristics of Big Donors and how do we find them?

They are almost always business owners.
They can make decisions without going through red-tape or committees
They are already giving to you, but at smaller amounts
They want to see a return on their investment
Foundations will often be “Big Donors,” but usually are backed by business owners (at least at the start)
They need a trusted relationship with one or more people in your organization
Big Donors are motivated most by cause/mission but will often give to a large project or program
And they almost always will liquidate an asset into cash to support your organization

As you ponder this, here are three things you can do right now:

Make a list of current donors that match the characteristics listed above (business owner, current donor, love your cause, etc.)
Check your giving offers? Would they attract a gift of at least $250,000 or more?
Check your relationships. Has anyone in the organization earned their trust over time?

If you’re lacking these items, it’s time to adopt some different fishing strategies!

Blessings…

We’re taking applications now for The Million Dollar Caseload Program which will begin in just a few weeks. Our capacity for the program is limited to those who have the capacity and commitment to growth. You can learn more here: https://elevationgrowth.wufoo.com/forms/zrq4p3b18wz28q/

07/01/2022

I talk to a lot of major donors. Somehow, they feel comfortable telling me things they may not tell their ministry representatives.

Summarizing their comments, I’ve come to conclude that most major gifts are motivated by 3 important factors.

A STORY
The story you tell donors explains the grand journey you’re on to solve one or more of humanity’s problems. When you tell your story well, donors are invited to be part of the solution, to partner with you to live beyond themselves and be a change agent for a better world – and a better eternity.

If you fail to tell your STORY well, we reduce our efforts to simply finding the money needed for a project or worse, to help you meet your budget.

Yesterday, in less than 3 minutes, a sharp ministry executive shared with me how in the next 5 years they hope to send 350 more full-time missionaries and 5,000 volunteers in service to reach a continent with the gospel. No ask, not even a budget number. But a story that invited me to be a change agent along with them.

A PARTNER
I’ve said many times the work we do as relationship managers go far beyond just being friends. I like to think of it as a partnership. We, the organization, are doing something that donors can’t do on their own. And without the donor’s investment, the organization couldn’t accomplish its God-given work. It truly is a partnership – a trusted partnership.

No more tin-cup fundraising.

Let’s lean into the partnership we have with donors.

One 7-figure donor once told me why he gave to our organization. “There’s no other place where I can accomplish so much with my donation! I love working with people that have the same goals as I do – to reach the world for Christ!” Now that’s partnership.

A REASON
The reason for giving is NOT:
o So, we can hit our budget
o So, our project will be completed
o Or any of the other “we-focused” reasons we offer to donors

The only reason for a donor to give is to save a life or change a life. That’s the reason we are in business to save and change lives.

Tim Gunsolley

CEO, Elevation Growth Partners

P.S. Applications for The Million Dollar Caseload will open soon. We’ll be covering how you can build your Story, your Partnership, and Reason to share with donors.

As our gift to you, here’s a free download of 50 Ways to Engage Major Donors as our gif to you.
And to learn more about The Million Dollar Caseload, click here: www.milliondollarcaseload.com

07/01/2022

Last week alone, I heard of 10 organizations seeking new or additional gift officer positions.

Unfortunately, most were replacing people they felt were not productive. OUCH!

Why is this? Why does our industry struggle so often with talented development professionals?

We could expound on the reasons:
o Too few leads
o Not the right fit
o Lofty expectations, etc., etc.

I have taught in the past that the most important factor for fundraising professionals is passion. Without a passion for the cause, we can be seen as just collecting checks. I’m re-thinking this.

While passion is essential, COMPETENCE is a must – a set of skills and activities that drive results.

In the “Karate Kid,” painting the fence over and over trained the mind and muscles of the young man on how to build competence (and confidence) when his skills would be tested in the sparring arena.

Too often we relegate major donor cultivation to whims and happenstance.

The Million Dollar Caseload takes a more disciplined approach. And scientific.

Using the best prospect research available and a monitored schedule of activities, the major gift officer “paints the fence” baking in the skills necessary for major donor success.

So, what must every relationship manager do? They must master “painting the fence”
ENGAGING, CULTIVATING, ASKING, AND REPORTING.

While the process goes much deeper, these pillars represent competence in the major donor world. When we’re weak in any of the four phases, our results will show it.

Today, I’d love to offer you a free resource to encourage you in your work. It’s our resource 50 Ways to Engage Major Donors.

P.S. Applications are now open for the Million Dollar Caseload. To learn more, click here: www.milliondollarcaseload.com

06/27/2022

When we first moved to Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak loomed before us calling out its challenge. “See if you can make it to the top.”

I, my wife, and then 13-year-old daughter took off with friends and with great expectations of summiting America’s Mountain.

Filled with enthusiasm, we began the day-long hike through boulders, pines, and crags.

Then the challenges began…
• The air grew incredibly thin
• My daughter forgot all her food – and Mom gave up her lunch (as any loving mother would do)
• My wife became electrolyte-deprived causing great fatigue
• Lightning above tree line caused us to scramble for cover

Weary, we finally summited with the help of a 78-year-old guide who was making his 200th ascent that day.

Experienced, he knew where to take a break, when to press on, and how to help us find the roadmap to the 14,115-foot peak.

All this made me think about the trek we take with our donors.

How many development professionals will make it through the long journey or not?

In the more than 2 decades I’ve served this industry, some things concern me:
• The high turnover rate and the early departure of fundraising talent
• The pressure on development professionals to produce at any cost
• The risk of viewing donors like ATM machines
• The increasing challenge of winning new hearts and minds to our cause

These and other trends made me think long and hard about how we could use our experience to help development professionals in two critical areas:

Inspiring generosity for greater impact

Building deeper, donor relationships for long-term partnership

In pursuit of these goals, in a few short weeks, we will launch The Million Dollar Caseload.

Think of it as a ROADMAP for relationship managers (CEOS, VPs, Directors, and Regional Managers).

The Million Dollar Caseload is for people who:
• Need more major gifts for their organization
• Want to maximize their impact
• Enjoy learning in a community with like-minded professionals
• Wear multiple hats, but need fundraising success

There is a proven roadmap to a 7-figure caseload (or more) and every relationship manager can achieve it AND build deeper donor relationships.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be talking more about The Million Dollar Caseload and how it works.

For now, I’d like you to have a free resource to encourage your work: 50 Ways to Engage Major Donors. Download your free copy here: www.milliondollarcaseload.com

In the meantime, “Let’s Go Change The World!”

05/26/2022

The temptation to see major donors for what they can give is real.

“We’ve got goals to hit, budgets to complete, after all.”

It is a temptation we must resist.

Henri Nouwen tells a compelling story in his classic A Spirituality of Fundraising of a rich banker who wants to help Nouwen with money.

The banker had been reading Nouwen’s books and knows that writers can’t possibly know anything about money. He wants to support more books by Nouwen.

But what he really wants is a relationship with the author because Nouwen’s topics speak to the heart of the banker.

Wisely, Nouwen and his assistant open a relationship with the banker that lasts for years and covers a multitude of topics in dialogue. A close relationship develops.

Years go by. The banker dies. But the banker’s family continues to support Nouwen and his work.

When we see donors as people with hopes, dreams, problems, loneliness, and challenges, beyond their wealth screen score, something marvelous happens.

We exchange the wealth we have – our organization’s service to others – with the strength the rich have in giving.

The Kingdom comes.

We minister to the needs of the wealthy. And if they so choose to partner with us to meet the needs of the materially poor.

What a beautiful picture of the ministry of development.

Let’s go change the world!

05/19/2022

Today, more than 1.9 million nonprofits exist in the United States (according to recently filed 990s). Most are dependent on charitable dollars to meet their annual expenses.

Make no mistake your organization IS competing to be heard and understood by the donor public. And you are competing for funding in a declining pool of charitable support. (Gallup poll, 2020) It stands then that the better we make our case, with clarity and conviction, the more the giving public will be drawn to our organization.

I want to share three simple ways you can amplify your claim with major donors. Your “claim” (or case) is that by supporting your organization, lives will be changed or saved because of the partnership between you and the donor.

1.) “Open the Hood”

Let your donors see the inside of the organization.

We often use the illustration of tracing a single drop of gasoline from the fuel tank to make the car move. What happens to the money as it moves through the organization?

Tracing a gift from receipt to changed life can powerfully motivate donors to give again and give more. If you need help in this area, check out an exercise that categorizes INPUTS, OUTPUTS, OUTCOMES, AND OUTCOME ROI posited by Tom Ralser in ROI for Nonprofits.

2.) Be Honest About Challenges

I was leading a group of high-net-worth donors on a trip to Southeast Asia. They had invested substantially in a large literature project. When we visited the warehouse of publications they had supported, we were shocked to see many books destroyed by termites!

Yikes!

Managing the poor conditions in that country was a significant challenge in keeping and distributing paper books.

Yet, by seeing the challenges we faced, they were able to help produce valid solutions and continued to invest heavily in the country. PTL.

3.) Spotlight the Heroes

Each organization has heroes. Often someone who doesn’t have the platform or the spotlight.

Highlighting these people only increases the credibility of your claim and builds a deeper affinity with the donor.

Investors know that good people drive great outcomes. Don’t be shy about sharing the stories of your staff or partners. Do they require special skills or training to do what they do?

One of our client's trains teens to be outspoken evangelists to their peers. These bold “missionaries” to their public schools are an inspiration to the donors supporting the organization. Heroes.

Amplifying your claim is not screaming for dollars, but clarifying your case so strongly that donors are naturally attracted to you and your cause.

So, let’s go change the world!

05/16/2022

My wife and I just bought our garden plants. The nursery was packed. The dreams of a bountiful harvest of flowers and vegetables were palpable. Each plant variety gave an estimated “harvest date” – when the plant would yield mature produce.

Wouldn’t that be helpful with donor cultivation? Imagine a tag that indicated when the major gift would come in and how much cultivation would be necessary. I haven’t seen such a tag in my 25 years of ministry development. Here are four essential characteristics that increase the yield of major and mega gifts.

1. Donor cultivation takes TIME and RELATIONSHIP.

Since we know this, using an intentional approach to both can yield major gifts on a more predictable timetable. The best professionals have a framework that helps them know how and when to be intentional – not haphazard – in their donor engagement efforts. How about this for starters: Just one meaningful touch each month for top prospects on your file.

2. Vision is King!

Giving is in the hands of the donor. And a compelling vision is the most important motivator to large gifts.

Too often, we rush in, blindly thinking that our need justifies the donor’s gift.

In the words of noted author Jim Lord (The Raising of Money), “Organizations have no needs, Only People have needs.”

As we passionately share how lives will be changed or saved through our organization, donors who are sensitive to that cause WILL respond accordingly.

Donors require clarity. What Good? For Whom? At What Cost? Is your vision expressed this simply? If not, try to eliminate the fluff and get clear – really clear on your messaging.

3. Earning the right to ask.

We were working with a Christian university president whose $100 million campaign was his last before retiring from the school he had served for 30 years. I’ll always remember what he said to me, “Tim, in 30 years of service, I’ve buried the students’ parents and married the students’ children. I’ve earned the right to ask.” The campaign successfully finished ahead of schedule.

The point is obvious. He invested first in the lives of the donors – then yielded the fruit of that investment. How are you earning the right to ask? Write down 10 ways to invest in donors – then implement them on the calendar across your caseload.

4. Finally, accountability is not optional.

I hear it all the time from donors, “But what did they do with the money?”

In our excitement to receive a large gift, too often we forget “Thank You”, and “Here’s what your gift accomplished”

Some time ago we gave a gift to a local campus evangelism ministry. Within a few days, we received a hand-written note indicating that “Steve” (a student in their ministry) was able to attend a mission trip because of our gift. Wow! What a blessing that was for Steve and for us. Well done in thanking the donor and reporting back. Is your gratefulness and reporting plan as robust as your solicitation plan?

Blessings on your work, now “Let’s go change the world.”

06/01/2020

Free Registration Below! When it comes to fundraising in a Post-Corona world for your , there are so many questions and uncertainties about what it looks like, what will work, and how to move your mission forward. Vikki Walton will be speaking and answering questions on Wednesday, June 3, at 11 am MT during our Live Q&A Discussion. Register for your FREE spot here: https://bit.ly/vwfoundationfb

05/30/2020

Will you join us for the last live discussion with Vikki Walton? She’s an and Certified Grant Specialist and will be speaking on Understanding Foundations, Grants, and Your Case for Support in Challenging Times. Register Here: https://bit.ly/foundationli

05/29/2020

We've had 3 weeks of hopeful interviews with non-profit experts on guiding our organizations as we expect to exit this time of crisis. The final Q&A in this series is next Wednesday! Register for FREE Here: https://lnkd.in/gQ8rZy3

Elevation Growth Partners

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