Elevating Your Donor Strategy: How to Identify & Engage High-Value Donors for Maximum Impact

While the fundamentals of fundraising may remain the same, the philanthropic landscape is as competitive as ever. Identifying, engaging, and retaining high-value donors can feel incredibly difficult.

In a recent conversation, two long-time fundraising pros, Valentina Guerrini, VP of Philanthropy at Altrata and Goran Radin, Philanthropy and Banking Expert at Impact Partners, shared some proven methods of identifying and engaging high-value donors.

Hard hitters: 4 key tips from donor strategy experts

Before diving into their main insights, Valentina and Goran were clear on one overarching principle: successful fundraising in today’s competitive environment requires both data-driven strategy and genuine human connection. Here’s what they think is the most important:

1. Finding the Right Donors
   • Valentina stresses the importance of starting with the donor data you already have, explaining that nonprofits often overlook the goldmine right in their own backyard. Rather than cold-calling distant prospects, she recommends a “concentric circles” approach: begin by revisiting past donors, volunteers, and even social media connections linked to your organization. From there, expand outward to new contacts. This method makes sure your early outreach starts with established relationships or common interests, which ultimately increases success rates.
2. Engaging Your Board
   • While some board members are natural connectors, others may be less open to direct fundraising help. Goran suggests identifying each member’s strengths—whether that’s hosting private events, sharing personal networks, or simply making introductions. Often, a board member’s credibility is itself an underused asset. A brief personal endorsement can open doors that the most well-executed email campaign and five voicemails just never will. The key is to guide board members with specific roles or tasks, so they feel empowered rather than pressured.
3. Preparing for Your Next Donor Call
   • It’s really tempting to rely exclusively on digital methods for donor outreach. Even still, Valentina and Goran both emphasize the unmatched power of a personal call—especially for major gifts. Before picking up the phone, it’s worth it to take the time to get some details together, like wealth indicators, philanthropic history, and any connections. A little research can go a long way, and it’s worth it to be prepared and ready to connect. Also, having something like an Institutional Readiness Checklist handy can be helpful!
4. Building Relationships for Donor Retention
   • When it comes to truly high-value donors, relationships are everything. Goran advocates the 80/20 rule for speaking, which is his take on the famous Pareto principle: let the donor do 80% of the talking. You’ll be surprised by the insights, interests, and motivations you uncover right off the bat. By investing in genuine connections—from the very first meeting to ongoing stewardship—organizations can deepen loyalty and significantly increase the likelihood of a long-term donor. 

Putting insight into practice

There are a few applicable lessons here. Here are some ways to put them into practice.

1. Map Your Concentric Circles
   • Use a platform like Altrata to help sort within your existing donor database. Sort donors by recency and frequency of giving, then look for patterns or shared connections to expand your reach. This ensures you’re making the most of the “goldmine” you already have.
2. Engage Your Board with Clear Roles
   • Play to your board’s strengths. Who is good at hosting parties? Who can leverage professional networks? Who is comfortable making direct introductions? Break out the wine, go to some dinners, and get CC’d on some email threads.
3. Elevate Every Donor Call
   • Before picking up the phone, gather a mini dossier on each prospect: past donations, areas of philanthropic interest, and any personal ties to your organization. A few minutes of preparation can transform a generic call into a warm, personalized conversation. Platforms like Altrata can provide extremely granular insights into a prospect, including things like alumni status, interests, and hobbies, right at your fingertips.
4. Apply the 80/20 Rule for Stronger Relationships
   • Encourage your team to listen more than they talk. By truly hearing the donor’s goals and concerns, you’ll uncover insights that can guide future engagement—and significantly improve donor retention in the long run.

Is your institution ready?

Even with the steps above, it’s important to have a solid strategic foundation. Valentina and Goran suggest organizations assess their overall readiness in the following areas:

• Database Analysis: Have you analyzed your donor database for wealth indicators and philanthropic potential, rather than relying on guesswork?
• Board Engagement: Are board members engaged? Do you have (or need) a dedicated development board where fundraising is the main focus?
• Case for Support: Is your case for support clear, compelling, and customized for different segments of your donor base?
• Processes and Training: Do you have workflows and staff training in place to guide donor engagement?
• Stewardship Plan: Up to 75% of new donations can come from existing donors. Is your follow-up process personalized and consistent?

Powerful platforms

At the core of any donor strategy is data. Using a platform that combines wealth intelligence, predictive analytics, and relationship mapping helps nonprofits uncover opportunities hidden in plain sight.

Operating without these powerful tools means guesswork, time-consuming manual research, and potentially missing out on high-value donor relationships. A key takeaway from Valentina and Goran’s interview is that up to 75% of new donations often come from existing donors, underscoring the importance of ongoing stewardship. Altrata’s tools provide a 360-degree view of each supporter, equipping you with information on their interests, past giving history, and personal networks—all critical elements for building and maintaining loyalty over time.

Ready to upgrade your donor strategy?

Together, the strategies shared by Valentina and Goran—mapping your “concentric circles,” mobilizing board members effectively, preparing for meaningful donor calls, and building long-term relationships—show the importance of using strategy and data to fundraise effectively.

Remember, up to 75% of new donations frequently come from existing donors, making stewardship a top priority. Invest in genuine connections and show donors they’re valued partners in your mission. That’s where Altrata’s Platforms can truly make a difference.

Throughout the interview, Goran stressed the importance of preparing for donor hesitations, everything from “I’m too busy” to “I need to think about it.” He even keeps a personal checklist to ensure that his team is prepared for major donor fundraising, which you can download for free.

Assess your Team’s Readiness Today

Get started by downloading the Institutional Readiness Checklist for Major Donor Fundraising for strategic ways to ensure that your organization is strongly positioned to achieve significant and sustainable success in major donor fundraising with this actionable checklist.