How AI Can Supercharge Your Major & Planned Gift Fundraising—Without Losing the Human Touch
Scaling Major Gifts. Strategies, action steps, and ideas for scaling major gifts by Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker.
After nearly three decades in major and planned giving, I’ve learned that our work has always been built on three pillars: trust, timing, and tailored conversations. Relationships are the heart of what we do. But today, artificial intelligence (AI) is giving us new tools to deepen those relationships—by helping us uncover hidden prospects, personalize stewardship, and make data-driven decisions that move high-value donors from interest to investment, all without losing the human connection that matters most.
Let’s dive into how AI can transform your major and planned gift strategy, what challenges it can solve, and how you can start leveraging these tools—no matter your organization’s size or resources.
Why This Matters Now
In my experience, the landscape for major and legacy gifts is more competitive and complex than ever. Donors expect meaningful, relevant engagement. Board members want results. And development teams are often asked to do more with less.
The good news? AI is no longer just for Silicon Valley giants. According to the OneCause 2025 Fundraising Outlook Report, 71% of nonprofits are using or planning to use AI for fundraising and event planning this year, and 60% believe AI will greatly benefit their organizations. Yet, only 24% have a formal AI strategy in place, and many still rely on just one or two staff to manage these efforts. That’s a huge opportunity—and a call to action for all of us.
The Pain Points We All Know
Over the years, I’ve seen—and felt—these common challenges:
Finding New Major Gift Prospects: Sifting through databases for hidden gems is time-consuming and often misses those with the greatest potential.
Personalizing Stewardship at Scale: Crafting individualized journeys for hundreds of donors can feel impossible without more hours in the day.
Predicting Donor Readiness: Knowing when a donor is ready to move from interest to commitment is as much art as science—but what if we could add more science?
Resource Constraints: Most teams are stretched thin, and the digital divide between large and small nonprofits is growing.
Practical AI Strategies That Work
Here’s what I’ve found effective—and what I’ve seen work for organizations large and small:
1. Predictive Modeling for Prospecting
Predictive AI analyzes donor data—past giving, event attendance, demographics, wealth indicators—to score and rank prospects based on both affinity and capacity. For example, Kindsight’s approach combines predictive modeling with wealth screening to create targeted, high-quality prospect lists, saving development staff countless hours and surfacing new major gift opportunities.
2. AI-Driven Stewardship Journeys
AI tools can segment donors and automate personalized touchpoints based on giving history and engagement signals. The ALS Association, for instance, uses AI to determine optimal contact frequency and message type, boosting donor retention by tailoring every interaction. This means your stewardship is always timely and relevant—even when your team is small.
3. Next-Best-Action Recommendations
Some platforms now suggest the next best move for each donor, whether it’s a call, a personalized note, or an invitation to a special event. These recommendations are based on real-time data and behavioral cues, helping you prioritize your portfolio and focus on what matters most.
4. Generative AI for Custom Communications
While generative AI can draft thank-you notes, proposals, or stewardship reports, I always recommend reviewing and personalizing these messages. AI is a tool to speed up the process—not a replacement for your voice and judgment.
Real-World Success: Feeding America & PETA
Feeding America uses AI to analyze donor data and identify new major gift prospects, helping them grow their donor base and exceed fundraising goals.
PETA integrated AI into their acquisition strategy, using predictive modeling to re-engage “chronic non-responders.” By personalizing outreach based on donor preferences, they achieved a 40% lift in response rate for targeted campaigns.
Actionable Takeaways
If you’re ready to start—or deepen—your AI journey, here’s what I recommend:
Start with Your Data: Clean, complete donor data is the foundation for any AI initiative.
Pilot Predictive Prospecting: Use AI tools to identify your top 50 “hidden” prospects and test targeted outreach.
Automate Stewardship Touchpoints: Set up AI-driven reminders or personalized emails for key donor segments.
Train Your Team: Invest in training so staff and board members understand both the power and limits of AI.
Measure & Refine: Track results, learn from your data, and refine your approach over time.
After 30 years in this field, I can say with confidence…
AI is not here to replace us. It’s here to make us better at what we do best—building trust, having meaningful conversations, and inspiring transformational gifts. The organizations that will thrive are those that blend the best of technology with the irreplaceable human touch.
I invite you to share your experiences, questions, and even your skepticism. What’s working for you? Where do you see the biggest opportunities—or challenges? Let’s learn together and make this the most impactful year yet for our missions and our donors.
Keep scaling,
Tammy Zonker
Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker
President, Fundraising Transformed
President & Dean, Modern Institute for Charitable Giving