High-Net-Worth Donors and Major Gifts Fundraising: What Really Works Today- NonProfit MBA 8.28

The New Era of Nonprofit Fundraising: Fewer Donors, Bigger Gifts In today's nonprofit landscape, one thing is clear: major gifts are driving the deepest impact. According to research from the Giving USA 2024 Report, individual giving dropped 3.4% last year, but donations from high-net-worth individuals and foundations increased significantly. This shift has created a paradox: fewer donors overall, but larger contributions from the top tier of philanthropists. This shift is reshaping major gifts fundraising across the nonprofit sector. Fundraising expert Gail Perry, founder of the Gail Perry Group, says this moment represents both a challenge and an opportunity. "Every single organization has major donors in its database," she explains. "The problem is, they're often treated like small donors—receiving generic messages instead of genuine engagement." This moment represents a major shift in major gifts fundraising.