Why Ways to Give Matter
After 14 years in nonprofit development—from supporting a Vice President of Institutional Advancement to leading major gift efforts—I’ve helped organizations build fundraising infrastructures that support multiple ways to give. This is where it starts. Ways to give invite partnership and progression—and that shift in language changes how sustainable development programs are designed.
I've watched too many organizations focus on major donor cultivation while their pipeline sits underdeveloped. They invest tens of thousands in galas aimed at six-figure gifts, while a $1,000 donor who has given faithfully for years—and may have the capacity to give $100,000—receives a generic thank-you email and little else.
The reality of major giving is this: it doesn't start at $50,000. It starts at $25. Or between $100-$1,000. Or a $15 monthly gift. Most leadership donors I've worked with began their relationship with modest contributions. The difference between organizations that build sustainable revenue and those stuck in a perpetual major-gift chase is intentional pathways and consistent stewardship at every level.
Successful fundraising programs offer clear ways to give for supporters at every capacity—from $1 to $1,000,000 and beyond. A well-designed ways-to-give structure ensures every supporter has an entry point into your mission and a clear path for growth.
A Healthy Giving Ecosystem
Most organizations benefit from offering three to five core giving pathways:
Foundational Giving (generally under $1,000; one-time, occasional, or recurring gifts)
Mid-Level Giving ($1,000–$9,999)
Leadership Society ($10,000+ or $25,000+, depending on organizational size and capacity)
Planned Giving (often supporting an endowment)
Sponsorships (programs, initiatives, or events—typically $5,000+)
Each level should have clear goals, a defined plan, and a specific role in supporting annual giving, program growth, naming opportunities, and endowment. Together, they create long-term sustainability.
Why Foundational and Mid-Level Giving Matter
Foundational and mid-level giving programs are not “small” programs—they are pipeline-building programs for major giving.
Most Leadership Circle donors begin their relationship through a foundational gift—often a one-time or occasional contribution. With intentional stewardship and consistent engagement, many increase their giving over time.
This progression helps identify prospective major gift donors and informs segmentation of current donors to guide future cultivation and solicitation strategies. Through giving history and ethical wealth-screening practices, organizations can further refine this pipeline—identifying future major gift prospects who typically account for 80–90% of annual fundraising revenue, according to widely recognized benchmarks.
The question isn’t whether to invest in these programs—it’s whether they’re designed with purpose. Start small, and build programs that can grow with you over time.
Step 1: Define Your Giving Levels
Clarity builds confidence—for donors and staff alike.
Establish clear, realistic giving levels based on your organization’s size and internal capacity:
Foundational Giving: Generally under $1,000
Mid-Level Giving: $1,000–$9,999
Major Giving Society: $10,000–$25,000+
Planned Giving Society: Endowment support
Sponsorships: $5,000+ for programs, initiatives, or events
Step 2: Name and Design the Programs
This is where creativity comes in—but with intention.
Clear, mission-aligned program names help donors understand where they belong, how they make an impact, and how they can grow. Names should align with your mission and goals.
Foundational Giving
Position this program as the foundation of your fundraising program—broad, inclusive, and essential to daily operations.
Many organizations brand their foundational giving program with donor-facing language such as Impact Circle or Mission Supporters Circle, while internally recognizing it as the primary entry point into their annual fund.
Foundational donors typically give one-time, occasional, or recurring gifts—often under $1,000—and provide the consistent support that sustains an organization’s core work.
Consider pairing foundational giving with a donor acquisition strategy—such as direct mail or digital campaigns, events, peer-to-peer fundraising, or targeted appeals—to intentionally grow your base of first-time donors. A strong acquisition pipeline creates future pathways into mid-level and major giving.
Don’t overlook monthly giving. Recurring gifts are a powerful foundational strategy. Even modest monthly commitments ($10–$50/month) compound into meaningful annual support and help build long-term donor engagement.
Mid-Level Giving
Mid-level donors are deeply engaged and often preparing for increased investment. Keep the umbrella name clear, with tiers that signal progression and commitment.
Mid-level giving programs may include tiers such as:
Impact Partner – $1,000
Sustaining Partner – $2,500
Cornerstone Partner – $5,000
Strategic Partner – $7,500
Principal Partner – $9,999
These names reflect increasing responsibility, alignment, and trust—key indicators of major gift readiness.
Major Giving Society
Your major giving society should reflect leadership, long-term partnership, and transformational impact.
Major Giving Society recognition levels may include:
Advocate – $10,000–$24,999
Champion – $25,000–$49,999
Catalyst – $50,000–$99,999
Founder – $100,000–$499,999
Legacy Partner – $500,000–$999,999
Visionary – $1,000,000+
These titles emphasize shared vision and responsibility and position major donors as longtime partners in your mission.
Stewardship & Benefits
At every level, benefits should align with organizational capacity and donor expectations. Most donors value:
Prompt, thoughtful acknowledgment
A personal thank-you (calls or handwritten notes go a long way)
Clear, concise updates showing how their gift advances the mission
Your impact report can serve as a cornerstone stewardship tool across all giving levels and helps donors understand the impact of their support without requiring intensive, individualized reports for every gift.
Sample benefit structures by level:
$1–$999 (Foundational): Annual impact report, e-newsletter, social media recognition (with permission)
$1,000–$9,999 (Mid-Level): All of the above, plus a personal thank-you call and invitation to an annual donor briefing or site visit
$10,000+ (Major Giving Society): All of the above, plus leadership briefings with the executive team, and named recognition opportunities (where appropriate)
What to avoid:
Avoid offering expensive premiums that eat into mission dollars, over-promising exclusive access you can’t consistently deliver, or creating benefits that require more staff time than they’re worth. The strongest benefits are meaningful, mission-aligned, and sustainable.
This approach protects both donor trust and staff capacity—two of the most critical ingredients for long-term fundraising success.
Step 3: Build a Year-Round Communications Plan
Once your ways to give are established, create a flexible communications schedule that can be adapted throughout the year. This may include:
Letters and emails
Phone calls
Special updates
Tours or site visits
Small tokens of appreciation
Develop simple, reusable communication and marketing materials that outline your mission, giving levels, and benefits. Add your ways to give to your website and create targeted outreach for each donor group.
This structure ensures that everyone—regardless of financial background—has a way to support your mission.
Step 4: Identify and Grow Leadership Circle Prospects
Put systems in place to identify emerging major gift donors:
Screen donors who give above a defined threshold
Use integrated wealth-screening tools ethically and in compliance with data privacy standards
Run regular gift reports to identify patterns and prospects
Reach out personally to qualified donors to begin relationship-building
Once qualified, move these donors into your moves management system for intentional cultivation and solicitation.
Need Help Designing Your Ways to Give?
A strong ways-to-give structure doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built intentionally, with strategy and sustainability in mind.
If you’d like support designing or refining your giving programs or communication materials, Mission Matters Partners can help.