Glossary

Ask A request to a prospect or donor for financial support made in person, usually by a volunteer or trustee of a charity.

Asking The person who will actually ask a major donor for a large donation.

Big Gift The term used by charities to define the minimum donation that is considered a big gift in a major donor program. For some 5,000 is considered a big gift, for others it can be 25,000 or more.

Board An elected or chosen group of persons that govern the affairs of a non-profit organization. Paid professionals and volunteer members can comprise an organizations board.

Board Member A member of a governing board.

Campaign The process of planning, creating, buying and tracking a project from start to finish.

Charity A foundation created to promote the public good.

Cultivate A planned sequence of activities designed to build a relationship with a prospect or donor and engage them in the work of the charity.

Data Mining Obtaining information about customers or groups of customers from a data warehouse for marketing or other purposes.

Database A structured system for maintaining information related to major donors.

Donation A voluntary gift of money, services or ideas to a charity.

Donor A person who makes a donation to a charity.

Donor Base A database of donors to the charity.

Donor Development The process of developing a donor from the first donation through to giving large donations.

Donor Relationship Management Donor relationship management (DRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by a company to handle their contact with their donors.

Financial Ability A calculation of the amount a major donor is capable of giving based on their wealth and interest in the charity.

Fundraising The legitimate process of collecting money by requesting donations from individuals and businesses.

Gift An single donation given by a major donor.

Grant Grants are funds given to tax-exempt nonprofit organizations or local governments by foundations, corporations, governments, small business and individuals. Most grants are made to fund a specific project and require some level of reporting.

High Net Worth An individual with a large financial resources.

Household The term refers to all related individuals who live in the same dwelling.

Indicators of Wealth Anything that is used to measure or identify the value of assets of a major donor. i.e. Large house, expensive cars, company ownership.

Interest A subjective assessment of the level of interest a prospect or donor has in a cause or charity. Indicators may be previous gifts, frequency of interaction, attendance at an event, etc.

Legacy gift Bequest: a gift of personal property by will.

Major Donor Donors who have the ability to give large gifts or donations.

Major Gift Donations of a large amount of money or services that meet the criteria set by a charitable organization. For some a limit of 5,000 is classified as major, for other organizations it can be 25,000 or more to qualify as a major gift.

Major Giving The term given to a program that focuses on soliciting major gifts on behalf of a charity.

Matching Donation Matching donations or matching gifts is a charitable practice where an individual or organization pledges to give an equal amount of money to a certain organization, where the amount given is equal to the amount raised in individual gifts.

Nurture Helping to develop and grow the relationship with a major donor.

Organization A company, corporation, firm, enterprise, charity or association, or part thereof, whether incorporated or not, public or private, that has its own function(s) and administration.

Overlay The enhancement of a donor base by adding additional information from an external source to increase the value of the data. A wealth overlay identifies wealthy individuals in a donor base.

Philanthropy Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective.

Pledge A written commitment (of a specified amount of money) to be paid at some future time according to terms set by the donor.

Potential donor A person who has the possibility of becoming a donor to your charity.

Program A system of projects or services intended to meet a public need.

Prospect Someone that the charity believes could become a good candidate to become a donor to the organization.

Prospect Pipeline In the context of Major Giving, this is the culmination of prospects in various stages of development from identified, interested, about to give.

Prospect Profile Research report detailing the pertinent facts about a prospective donor, including basic demographic information, financial resources, past giving, linkages, potential future giving, etc.

Prospect Research The continuing search for pertinent information on prospects and donors.

Qualification Any potential donor whose linkages, giving ability and interests have been confirmed.

Recognition The policy and practice of providing recognition to a donor by personal letter, public expression, telephone call or other appropriate ways.

Recurring Donation Pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity on regular intervals; "I automatically donate $10 a month to my favorite charity" .

Researcher A person who does major donor research on behalf of an organization.

Residence Any address at which you dwell more than temporarily; "a person can have several residences".

Solicitation The process of asking a prospect or donor for a gift.

Solicitation Process The process which is followed to ask a person or group for a contribution.

Stewardship A process whereby an organization seeks to be worthy of continued philanthropic support, including the acknowledgement of gifts, donor recognition, the honoring of donor intent, prudent investment of gifts, and the effective and efficient use of funds to further the mission of the organization.

Volunteer To work without compensation on behalf of an organization, cause or benefit.

Wealth The state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money.

Wealth Overlay The identification of wealthy individuals on an existing donor file.

Ask	A request to a prospect or donor for financial support made in person, usually by a volunteer or trustee of a charity.
Asking	The person who will actually ask a major donor for a large donation.
Big Gift	The term used by charities to define the minimum donation that is considered a big gift in a major donor program. For some 5,000 is considered a big gift, for others it can be 25,000 or more.
Board	An elected or chosen group of persons that govern the affairs of a non-profit organization. Paid professionals and volunteer members can comprise an organizations board.
Board Member	A member of a governing board.
Campaign	The process of planning, creating, buying and tracking a project from start to finish.
Charity	A foundation created to promote the public good.
Cultivate	A planned sequence of activities designed to build a relationship with a prospect or donor and engage them in the work of the charity.
Data Mining	Obtaining information about customers or groups of customers from a data warehouse for marketing or other purposes.
Database	A structured system for maintaining information related to major donors.
Donation	A voluntary gift of money, services or ideas to a charity.
Donor	A person who makes a donation to a charity.
Donor Base	A database of donors to the charity.
Donor Development	The process of developing a donor from the first donation through to giving large donations.
Donor Relationship Management	Donor relationship management (DRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by a company to handle their contact with their donors.
Financial Ability	A calculation of the amount a major donor is capable of giving based on their wealth and interest in the charity.
Fundraising	The legitimate process of collecting money by requesting donations from individuals and businesses.
Gift	An single donation given by a major donor.
Grant	Grants are funds given to tax-exempt nonprofit organizations or local governments by foundations, corporations, governments, small business and individuals. Most grants are made to fund a specific project and require some level of reporting.
High Net Worth	An individual with a large financial resources.
Household	The term refers to all related individuals who live in the same dwelling.
Indicators of Wealth	Anything that is used to measure or identify the value of assets of a major donor. i.e. Large house, expensive cars, company ownership.
Interest	A subjective assessment of the level of interest a prospect or donor has in a cause or charity. Indicators may be previous gifts, frequency of interaction, attendance at an event, etc.
Legacy gift	Bequest: a gift of personal property by will.
Major Donor	Donors who have the ability to give large gifts or donations.
Major Gift	Donations of a large amount of money or services that meet the criteria set by a charitable organization. For some a limit of 5,000 is classified as major, for other organizations it can be 25,000 or more to qualify as a major gift.
Major Giving	The term given to a program that focuses on soliciting major gifts on behalf of a charity.
Matching Donation	Matching donations or matching gifts is a charitable practice where an individual or organization pledges to give an equal amount of money to a certain organization, where the amount given is equal to the amount raised in individual gifts.
Nurture	Helping to develop and grow the relationship with a major donor.
Organization	A company, corporation, firm, enterprise, charity or association, or part thereof, whether incorporated or not, public or private, that has its own function(s) and administration.
Overlay	The enhancement of a donor base by adding additional information from an external source to increase the value of the data. A wealth overlay identifies wealthy individuals in a donor base.
Philanthropy	Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective.
Pledge	A written commitment (of a specified amount of money) to be paid at some future time according to terms set by the donor.
Potential donor	A person who has the possibility of becoming a donor to your charity.
Program	A system of projects or services intended to meet a public need.
Prospect	Someone that the charity believes could become a good candidate to become a donor to the organization.
Prospect Pipeline	In the context of Major Giving, this is the culmination of prospects in various stages of development from identified, interested, about to give.
Prospect Profile	Research report detailing the pertinent facts about a prospective donor, including basic demographic information, financial resources, past giving, linkages, potential future giving, etc.
Prospect Research	The continuing search for pertinent information on prospects and donors.
Qualification	Any potential donor whose linkages, giving ability and interests have been confirmed.
Recognition	The policy and practice of providing recognition to a donor by personal letter, public expression, telephone call or other appropriate ways.
Recurring Donation	Pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity on regular intervals; "I automatically donate $10 a month to my favorite charity" .
Researcher	A person who does major donor research on behalf of an organization.
Residence	Any address at which you dwell more than temporarily; "a person can have several residences".
Solicitation	The process of asking a prospect or donor for a gift.
Solicitation Process	The process which is followed to ask a person or group for a contribution.
Stewardship	A process whereby an organization seeks to be worthy of continued philanthropic support, including the acknowledgement of gifts, donor recognition, the honoring of donor intent, prudent investment of gifts, and the effective and efficient use of funds to further the mission of the organization.
Volunteer	To work without compensation on behalf of an organization, cause or benefit.
Wealth	The state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money.
Wealth Overlay	The identification of wealthy individuals on an existing donor file.