Why Donors Will Give to Organizations — But Commit Even More to Leaders
A nonprofit CEO could be forgiven for thinking major gift solicitation is “development’s job.”
On its face, it’s a reasonable take.
Yet although strategy is a shared endeavor across the org, research shows that the moment of the ask is vastly different. That’s especially true because our sector is becoming more dependent on transformational gifts, not less. According to the most recent Fundraising Effectiveness Project report, the total number of donors fell by 3.6 percent in 2025 even as charitable revenue grew five percent, fueled almost entirely by major and supersize gifts.
These gifts almost certainly would not have happened without executive involvement at the highest levels. In short, the CEO must be deeply involved in the ask because although donors and funders give to organizations, they commit to leaders.
In fact, Penelope Burk’s Donor-Centered Leadership report makes explicit the linkage between executive involvement and donor commitment:
Donors are incentivized to stick around with high-touch stewardship, and even more so when executive leadership is involved. Industry-wide, donor retention hovers around 43 percent to 45 percent. But organizations that value hands-on donor strategy, including personal executive outreach, substantially outpace that metric with rates of 55 percent to 65 percent.
CEO gratitude matters. A personal thank-you call or meeting from the CEO within 48 hours of a first major gift is one of the single most effective ways to convert a first-time donor into a repeat supporter.
In short, when a CEO makes the ask, it sends a signal that the gift matters at the highest level of the organization — a message that no development officer, regardless of their skill or seniority, can replicate.
What’s more, donors who make major gifts consistently report that their relationship with organizational leadership is a significant factor in their decision. They report higher satisfaction when they engage with a leader on strategic vision versus fundraising staff on operational needs.
This isn't about the fundraiser's limitations.
This is about calling our sector’s CEOs to action.
Nonprofit CEOs and presidents, by virtue of your positions, bring something unique to the table. It’s that human connection to the mission, forged directly through you — the person who leads the work — and it’s one of the most powerful drivers of long-term giving.
You are the only ones who can deliver that impact. So don’t wait any longer.
This is the first in our three-part ‘Brave Leadership, Bigger Gifts’ series — check out our next installment on how fundraisers and CEOs should partner to maximize major gifts effectiveness.