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!”