Written By Jenny Alstad – Senior Director, Prospect Development & Strategy, College of Charleston
Over the past decade, Giving Days have established themselves as a key cornerstone to fundraising programs of all shapes, sizes, and sectors. Prior to transitioning to Prospect Development, I spent eight years in Annual Giving and am now a proud lifelong annual giving enthusiast. This past March, I experienced my 11th Giving Day. Along the way, I’ve seen just how impactful these campaigns can be. Here are a few ways Prospect Development teams can leverage Giving Days to support gift officers and drive year-round success.
Before the Big Day: Spotting Challenge Donors Early
Before your Giving Day even begins, Prospect Development teams can play a major role in helping officers identify prospects who may have an interest in setting up a Giving Day challenge – but aren’t yet on their radar. Look for indicators like board service, consistent annual giving history, strong history of unrestricted giving, participation in past Giving Days or broad-based annual campaigns, and of course, capacity to make a larger commitment. We’ve found particular success engaging prospects who have already voiced an interest in rallying others, have shown their support for leadership’s vision, and have championed unrestricted giving. Beyond the data, review contact reports for prospects who’ve expressed a desire to help grow your base. These are your potential challenge champions.
Game Day: Real-Time Supports That Drives Results
When the big day arrives, Prospect Development teams have the opportunity to shift into high gear, though our teams are often overlooked in the Giving Day execution plans. If your Giving Day platform integrates in real-time with your CRM, Prospect Development can be a huge asset to gift officers by helping them pull up-to-the-minute donor lists or track specific priority segments. If your platform doesn’t sync directly, there’s critical behind-the-scenes support to officers like monitoring the donor lists and alerting officers when their top prospects have made a gift. Additionally, keep a close eye out for surprise gifts from high-capacity or priority prospects. These may signal opportunities for a real-time stewardship text or video message from leadership or senior staff, helping deepen engagement while the moment is still fresh.
Post-Giving Day: Turning Insights into Action
Once the dust settles, Prospect Development can help translate Giving Day activity into long-term opportunity. Start by looking for shifts in donor behavior. Did someone give to a new fund, area, or initiative? That might signal a developing passion or interest for officers to explore. It’s also a great time to surface previously unassigned or lower-engaged donors who gave unexpectedly or increased their giving. If you have access to run a wealth screening, you can quickly cross reference these triggers to further prioritize. Use this momentum to flag potential new assignments and update portfolios quickly.
The Lasting Impact: Giving Day as a Prospect Development Launchpad
Giving Days are much more than a 24-hour sprint. They’re a high-visibility touchpoint that can unlock valuable insights and engagement for months to come. With thoughtful planning and real-time support, our teams can turn Giving Days into catalysts for deeper relationships, stronger portfolios, and smarter strategies. Whether it’s identifying challenge donors, enabling day-of stewardship, or uncovering new prospects, our teams play an essential role in making the most of the momentum. Let’s keep building on it.