Your First Five Gifts: Why They Matter More Than the Next Fifty

In every capital campaign, there’s a moment when momentum starts to shift — when the idea becomes real. It’s rarely because of a slogan, a brochure, or even a feasibility report. It’s because of the first few gifts.

Those early commitments don’t just raise dollars — they set the emotional tone for everything that follows.

The Power of the First Five

Your first five gifts are more than numbers on a spreadsheet. They tell your community (and your internal team) a story:

• Are people confident in our vision?

• Do they believe this project will happen?

• Is this campaign going to be joyful — or uphill the whole way?

When those early gifts come from respected leaders, carry meaningful size, or are given with visible enthusiasm, they send a powerful signal: This is happening. Get on board.

A Tale of Two Campaigns

Let’s look at two examples that mirror what we often see in the field.

Organization A kicked off its quiet phase with a heartfelt $50,000 gift — generous, but modest compared to their $5 million goal. Their campaign team celebrated the gift, but quietly wondered if they’d overestimated community capacity. The first steering committee meeting felt tentative. “We’re grateful,” one member said, “but do people really see this as doable?”

Momentum built slowly. Every next ask felt like a mountain climb. By the time a six-figure donor finally came on board, the team had spent months trying to prove the campaign’s credibility.

Now compare that to Organization B. Their first leadership gift came in at $500,000 — one-tenth of their total goal. That gift wasn’t just about money. It was about confidence. Committee members began to picture success differently: if one person could see the vision at that level, others could too. Suddenly, the tone of every conversation shifted from “Can we do this?” to “Who else should be part of this?”

Both organizations eventually met their goals. But their journeys felt entirely different. The size and confidence of those first few gifts shaped morale, urgency, and belief — all intangible drivers of success.

What Early Gifts Communicate

Early gifts — especially leadership gifts — act as campaign shorthand:

• Vision alignment: Donors are confirming, “Yes, this project is worth it.”

• Leadership validation: When key champions give first, they model behavior for others.

• Momentum and social proof: Every gift becomes evidence that the campaign is gaining traction.

• Internal motivation: Staff and volunteers draw energy from seeing progress early.

How to Secure the Right Early Gifts

You don’t need million-dollar donors to build early momentum — but you do need strategy.

1. Start with your inner circle. Identify 3–5 people who trust your leadership and already believe in the mission. They don’t need a finished case statement to commit — just a clear vision and personal connection.

2. Anchor the conversation in belief, not budget. Ask these early champions to help set the tone: “We know your leadership gift will show others that this is possible.”

3. Sequence intentionally. The first few gifts are like dominoes — each one makes the next easier. Build your cultivation plan accordingly.

4. Celebrate progress transparently. Share early wins internally, not for vanity, but to reinforce the story: “We’re already seeing strong belief in this project.”

Final Thought

Campaign success isn’t only measured in dollars raised — it’s measured in confidence built.

Your first five gifts won’t just fund your project. They’ll define its spirit.

So take your time, build the right relationships, and secure those early commitments that make your team — and your community — say, “We’ve got this.”

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Frances Roen: Frances Roen is a Georgia girl at heart, and has been graciously

adopted by beautiful, snowy Minnesota. She is a forty-something daughter, friend, mom, wife, and entrepreneur, and is always on the look-out for a perfectly fried piece of chicken.

Frances is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) with nearly 20 years of experience fundraising and has raised over $200M for nonprofits. She has held fundraising positions at The Bakken Museum, Augustana Care Corporation, and YouthLink and consulted with dozens of nonprofits clients across the globe. In these roles she has been responsible for all aspects of fundraising including comprehensive campaigns, major and planned gifts, annual funds, events, communications, corporate partnerships and volunteers.