Episode Details

In this episode, Tom talks about the metrics nonprofits should be using to grow fundraising effectively. He also talks about the pros and cons of different metrics and shares two new metrics you may never have considered before that can reveal a world of helpful information about your approach to fundraising.

Tom breaks down the numbers that actually move revenue in major gifts—and how to track them without bogging your team down. You’ll learn why the single most predictive lever is # of major gift solicitations (to qualified prospects), how to set your organization’s “major gift” threshold, and the standard metrics top shops use: meetings by purpose (qualification/cultivation/solicitation/stewardship), solicitations, gifts closed, amounts solicited vs. closed, new quals, and stewardship moves.
Tom also adds two powerful metrics to your dashboard: close rate and yield rate (both often ~50% for well-qualified asks), plus two next-level reads on fundraiser quality—repeat major gifts from the same donors and conversion of newly qualified prospects to major gifts. Clear, practical, and immediately actionable—Part 1 sets you up for next week’s “how to use the metrics” playbook.

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