Fundraising
Major donor
Formal definition
In fundraising, Major donor refers to an operating term used for increasing supporter retention and lifetime value through better proposition and stewardship design.
What this actually means for you
Fundraising and supporter-care leads should treat Major donor as an operating standard: connect ask strategy to segment behaviour, response history, and stewardship capacity, then review it before campaign launches and supporter comms updates.
Example: In a live quarterly cycle, Major donor is applied like this: the appeal team tailors ask ladders by segment and adjusts follow-up timing based on response trends. The team then records the decision trail in team templates, reporting packs, and operating checklists.
Related guides and whitepapers
Read deeper guidance and implementation detail connected to this term.
The honest pattern that lets a small UK charity with one fundraiser (or none) build real major-donor relationships without burning out or overpromising.
How UK charities can run marathons, treks and cycle rides at scale without burning out the events team. A practical playbook for sustainable challenge events.
The practical digital basics every UK charity shop should have by 2026: EPOS, gift aid capture, stock visibility, online resale and reporting that holds up.
Most cases for support read like a charity brochure with prices added. The structure, voice and evidence that move donors and trusts from interest to a gift.