Reimagining trust fundraising: Taking a major donor approach to cultivation

Abstract

This paper focuses on cultivating trusts and foundations using methods more closely associated with individual major donors. It describes how the current fundraising landscape lends itself well to this kind of approach and how the real-life experience of working in a small team led to the development of the methods described. The paper then focuses on key areas, including making first contact, developing a relationship, different ways to make connections with trusts and ‘value added’ cultivation. It provides guidance and examples of how to operationalise aspects of this approach.