132. From Mid-Level to Major: Mapping the Journey
About this episode
Some of your best future major donors are already giving.
They are reading your emails, showing up at events, and faithfully making mid-level gifts year after year. Yet in the noise and pressure of 2026 fundraising, they often sit in a crowded middle, without a clear path into deeper relationship.
In my experience, this “hidden middle” is one of the most overlooked growth opportunities for major gifts. So let’s talk about how you can turn mid-level donors into your strongest pipeline for transformational support.
A new way to see mid-level donors
Here is how I want you to think about mid-level donors.
They are not an afterthought. They are your future.
I’ve found that when organizations shift how they see and serve this group, major gift results start to grow more predictably and less painfully. Here are a few lenses that can help.
1. Define mid-level for your organization
In my experience, the starting point is clarity. Mid-level is not a feeling. It is a defined range. For some organizations, that might be donors giving between $500 and $ 5,000 a year. For others, it is $1,000 to $10,000 dollars, or even $250 to $2,500 dollars in smaller shops.
The number itself is less important than the purpose. You are identifying donors who give more than your general base, give with some consistency, and have potential for more. When you name this group, you can finally see them, track them, and serve them more intentionally.
2. Look beyond the gift amount
Gift size matters, but in 2026, donor behavior tells you just as much. Donors are more selective, more impact-focused, and less tolerant of transactional communication. One approach I have seen work well is to look for behavioral “signals” of readiness.
For example, mid-level donors who open multiple emails, click on stories, attend events, respond to surveys, or call to say thank you are telling you they care. They are raising their hands. In my experience, when a mid-level donor does two or three of these things, that is your cue to lean in and build relationship.
This is also a great place to use AI. Many donor databases now have AI features that can flag patterns in engagement. You might ask your system, “Show me donors who give between 1,000 and 10,000 dollars, have given at least two years in a row, and opened four or more emails last quarter.” That one search can surface a list of donors who are quietly asking to be seen.
3. Map a simple journey, not a complex program
You do not need a fancy mid-level program to start. You need a simple path.
In my experience, a powerful mid-to-major journey has four stages.
Welcome and affirmation: A personal thank you beyond the receipt. A quick call, a short email, or a handwritten note that says, “You matter to us.”
Insight and connection: Short, specific impact stories. Maybe a two-minute video from a program leader, or a one-page update just for this group.
Conversation and curiosity: A 20 or 30-minute call to learn what inspires them. You are not asking for a bigger gift yet. You are listening.
Discernment and invitation: Only after you understand their values and interests do you explore a major gift, a multi-year commitment, or a special project.
I have walked many teams through this simple framework, and the biggest shift is always this. We stop rushing to the ask and start respecting the relationship.
4. Think in experiments, not perfection
I know you are under pressure. Staff are stretched thin, budgets are tight, and there is often resistance to “yet another initiative.” That is why I recommend thinking in terms of small experiments.
One approach I have seen work well is to run one tiny test at a time. For example, choose 30 mid-level donors and give them a slightly more intentional experience for six months. Maybe it is three extra touchpoints: a call, a note, and a special email. Track what happens.
You can even ask AI to help you test variables. Try two different subject lines with your insider email and see which one your mid-level donors open more. Let AI draft a thank-you email that you then personalize in your own voice. The point is not to automate relationship. It is to free your time so you can put your energy into real connection.
Three actions you can take in the next hour
Here are a few concrete actions you can take in 30 to 60 minutes to start mapping mid-level journeys.
1. Set your mid-level giving range
Take ten minutes and decide, for your organization, what “mid-level” means right now. Write it down. For example, “Our mid-level donors give between 1,000 and 9,999 dollars in a 12-month period.” Share that definition with your team so you are all speaking the same language.
2. Pull a short list and pick ten donors
Run a quick report of donors in that range who have given for at least two consecutive years. Then, from that list, choose ten donors who feel especially interesting based on engagement, recency, or your own intuition. In my experience, ten is a manageable number that still has real potential for movement.
If you have access to AI in your database, ask it to suggest which ten mid-level donors are most likely to respond well to more personal outreach. Use its suggestions as a starting point, then trust your instincts.
3. Plan two or three specific outreach moves
For those ten donors, sketch out two or three simple touches you will complete this month. For example:
Week one: A brief, heartfelt thank you call with no ask.
Week two: A handwritten note referencing something specific they supported.
Week four: An invitation to a short Zoom conversation, a coffee, or a behind-the-scenes tour.
Block time on your calendar so these touchpoints happen. In my experience, the act of scheduling is often the difference between good intentions and real relationship-building.
Want to take a deeper dive?
If this topic resonates with you, I recorded a full episode of The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast titled “From Mid-Level to Major: Mapping the Journey.”
In that conversation, I walk through the stages of a mid-to-major journey in more detail, share client stories, and talk about specific questions you can ask donors to understand their values and vision. You will hear how to design these journeys in a way that fits your team size, your culture, and your goals.
I’d love to hear from you
What is one small step you are willing to take with your mid-level donors in the next thirty days? Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me about it, or share this post with your executive director or board chair so you can start the conversation together.
You carry a lot, and I know this work can feel heavy at times. Please remember, every intentional conversation you start today can shape the future of your mission. Keep showing up with courage and care.
“Mid-level donors are not ‘nice to have.’ They are the engine of your future major gifts.”
Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert, Keynote Speaker, Author
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